Silver and Blonde
by KaraShizukana
Summary: The ballad of truth remains unsung. Will I be killed in those arms I used to find warmth in? Was our life merely sepia-dyed in a dusty photograph? Is my death merely a predecessor of yours, Cain? Oh, these wounds still carry your warmth within them.
1. Chapter 1 : Owari no Hajimari

Disclaimer: Trinity Blood and its characters do not belong to me. May Sunao Yoshida rest in peace.

Hello! Yes, I'm a rookie at submitting fanfics, in fact, this is the first time I've submitted one, though I have written stories before. Oh God, I don't know what to do. I'm obsessed with Cain and Abel! Okay, never mind my blubbing, onto the story!:)

* * *

**Silver and Blonde**

_Chapter 1: Owari no Hajimari_

_(The Beginning of the End)_

Prologue

An empty street void of the soft footfalls of people who once used to dwell within the vicinity became a medium that bore the trail of blood. The tall, graceful pillars adorned with an architecture long forgotten became witness to one who bled on the same road. Somewhere behind the large stone slabs that used to be the foundation of a mansion, a young man with golden hair hissed in pain. He looked up to the sky, and found himself lost in a dark blue sea spangled with silver.

_Silver_, he thought to himself vaguely. He gave a brittle laugh. His right hand clutched at his left arm. His eyes narrowed at the sight of the blood flowing out from a deep gash in his left shoulder. The gash was long, stretching all the way from his clavicle to his wrist on his left arm. The young man gave a sigh. He straightened himself, which was a task fairly difficult, considering his position. Ironically enough, he sat in a pool of his own blood. His torn white outfit was bathed in a bright, crimson red. He shut his eyes and issued a mental command to his body. He felt a gush of activity rush through him for a moment, before he felt aware of the changes that had occurred within his own flesh. When he opened his eyes, a red light shone out from the irises. The blood that pooled around him was now drawn slowly into the open wound. He brought his left arm close to his mouth with much difficulty and started to lick the gaping wound. As his tongue made contact with his skin, he could feel the dead cells in his skin slowly being replaced by new cells, and his wound underwent a sluggish recovery. This was how it was, being injured by another of his own kind. Attacks from others left no effect on him whatsoever. But this time was different. _He_ had attacked. The eyes that shone red suddenly dimmed in the reddish glow, and were replaced by clear, blue eyes. They were same eyes of his attacker.

"Abel," the young man whispered to the wind.

**During Armageddon**

_Alliance Aerospace Navy Battleship_

"Move them away!" a commanding voice rang through the air.

"Yes, Commander Nightlord," came the obedient replies of the people in the control room. Buttons were pressed and vocal commands were issued to those in the front line of the military. Abel watched through the transparent screen with undivided attention. He watched as the large airships were moved away. He could feel the stares of those in charge of giving orders all directed to his face. Abel counted silently in his head. _One, two, three._

An explosion was heard. The room echoed with gasps and horrified exclamations. Abel could not help letting a smirk cross his features. Most of the Methuselah had already stood up, wishing that they could see what had happened beyond the cloud of ash and dust. After moments of rapid heartbeats, the cloud suddenly cleared away, and revealed that the front-attacking airships were still present. The Methuselah unashamedly cheered in the control room. Most of them looked at Abel, with expressions of gratitude etched on their faces. They had wondered how the commander that overlooked the scene could have anticipated that the Terrans would have aimed for the airships when their focus appeared to be centred on the large tanks, which had been firing on the Terran hovercrafts non-stop.

Abel moved away from the screen. He had seen enough of the battle. By all means, he wished that he did not have the obligation to be present for the battle. Yet, to think of what they had done to him, together with his siblings… _Ugly_. Abel's fist curled as the word formed in his mind. He had the urge to suddenly push the buttons that lead to mass destruction, and he could feel the joy creeping up to his heart and blossoming as he saw the flames rain from the sky with blood spattering on the earth.

"Enough," he whispered to himself. He found that his feet had brought him to a door that lead to a room allocated for those who possessed high ranks aboard the battleship. Though there were no marks indicating the occupants of the room, Abel could already feel their presences. As the door slid open at the command of his voice, Abel found himself face-to-face with the only person who possessed the same eyes as he did.

Cain looked up from his tedious writing, and a bright smile lit up his face when he saw who lazily leaned against the doorframe.

"Abel!" he cried.

He ran over to the young man and embraced him warmly. Cain felt a sense of security as a pair of warm arms slid around his waist to hold him close. He closed his eyes and breathed in the scent of the silver strands of moonlight. They both stood there for a few moments, before Abel pulled away and looked into Cain's eyes. Cain could see horrific visions of explosions, and hear the agonising screams that had been supposedly been prevented from reaching earshot by the thick glass screen of the battleship. Yet, Abel had experienced it all. He had felt every death as though he had been the one who wielded the sword, and as if he had heard their death wishes and see the moment when the light of life left their eyes. Cain gave a sigh, and looked at Abel's face. The face that was beautiful beyond all reckoning yet carried such a touch of melancholy and sorrow that the beauty it beheld was almost painful for one to see. Cain's fingers came up to Abel's cheek and he touched the prominent cheekbone of his twin's face.

"Why, Abel? Why do you do this to yourself?" he asked in a whisper. Abel looked into those blue eyes that mirrored the bright sky, and smiled.

"I do it, in order to save you from doing so," he whispered back to Cain. A gasp came out from Cain's mouth. He stepped away from Abel and scrutinised the floor. Was it his fault? Cain knew from the start of his existence that he was the born leader, and he would be the one to carry all the burdens and come to the aid of his siblings. If that was so, then why did he seclude himself from battle and instead volunteer to calculate the statistics and perform diagnosis? Cain stole a look at Abel who had averted his eyes from Cain and now looked at the smooth, white walls of the room. Cain saw his own guilty face in the shiny surface. Then again, it was Abel who had requested to take over the matters that involved bloodshed and destruction. Cain felt himself being washed away by the current of time, and came back to the moment when they first had been elected as commanders.

Cain was facing his first experience in witnessing the onslaught of a battle, and his face had paled so vividly that it almost became the same shade as Abel's hair. Fortunately, only Abel had been a witness to this. Once they were out of earshot, Cain had melted into Abel's embrace, and Abel had stroked one golden lock, which fell over his smooth forehead.

"Cain, let me do it. I can do it," Abel had pleaded. Cain had been covered in Abel's warmth, and their proximity made it all the more possible for Cain to hear the soft thumping sound that came from Abel's heart. "Don't force yourself," Abel had added, and the kiss they shared had been almost bitter as the tears that flowed down from their cheeks.

"Abel." The person who Cain addressed immediately after his mind came back to the present time, turned to face him squarely in the face. They looked at each other. They stood a distance apart, two tall, slimly built figures with so many uncanny similarities in their physique and demeanour that it was almost impossible to believe that they both were two separate beings that came into existence at different points of time. If not for the difference of colour of the long hair they shared, they would have been mirror images of each other. When Abel gazed at Cain, he sensed a hardness that was now present in his twin's perfect features. Cain seemed to have changed in that very moment, and his back was slightly straighter than before, and he held his head in a way that made people ponder if it was arrogance or superiority he held in his stance. Cain strode over to Abel and leaned his forehead against Abel's. Their hands were now cradling each other's faces, seeking the information stored away within the blue depths.

"Don't sacrifice yourself for me," Cain said firmly. Just as Abel was about to protest, Cain silenced him with a kiss. Abel pulled away wilfully; wanting to get a word in but Cain quickly prevented his actions. "I need you. _Live_ for me," Cain's breath came very softly on Abel's cheek. Moments passed, but they remained in their original positions, bodies nearly touching, hands now entangled in the silken strands of silver and blond.

The door slid open. A young girl around the age of nine bounced into the room, a spring evident in her step. The two young men before her slowly moved apart. The girl looked from the silver-haired one to the blond. For some time, she said nothing, her expression unreadable. Then, a smile appeared on her face out of nowhere, and she seemed to dismiss the previous situation she had seen.

"Abel-niisan," she said cheekily, her grin directed to Abel, who laughed at the young girl. Her previously strange expression had disappeared as though it had never been written on her face, and a young schoolgirl attitude had taken over her. She ran over and hugged Abel around the waist, and then hugged Cain around his waist. Cain smiled brightly down at her, and her eyes shone a deep, dark green as she looked at both of them.

"Seth," Abel murmured softly, his eyes now as bright as hers. No one could resist the charms of the youngest of the three siblings. Her smile could brighten up a whole room, just as it had for all the times they had been together.

"What brings you here, dear sister?" Cain asked, his hands on his hips. Seth pouted at him.

"I just wanted to check up on the both of you. I've just been training the Methuselahs in the training room," Seth explained. She ran a hand through her short, cropped hair.

"How are the assassins?" Abel asked. Cain looked at him for a second, and Abel's tone played again in his head. He _had_ to take on that particular tone, the tone that commanded subservience.

"They are good," Seth had been saying. "But they've seriously got to improve if they're thinking of battling the Vatican," she added. Abel's expression was hopeful. Then, Cain spoke.

"The Vatican uses androids, senseless mechanical beings that can't even spark up a single thought that our minds can. And yet, they're still impenetrable?" Cain asked in a tone that had a slight tinge of sarcasm. Seth appeared stung at this remark.

"Cain!" she cried out indignantly, although she still maintained her smile. Abel could not help but chuckle. Cain found it very hard to smile, though. "We want a perfect execution, with no possibilities of failure. Of course, it takes time," Seth convinced him. Cain absent-mindedly tossed a lock of golden hair that covered his left eye so that it rested on his left shoulder. Just as Cain was about to think of a retort, a voice interrupted them from above.

"Augusta Vradica, kindly proceed to the training room at this present moment. Augusta Vradica, kindly-"

"_Augusta Vradica_?" Abel asked, astonished. Cain could not help smirking as a blush fought its way up to the young girl's cheeks. She stared at the floor for a moment before glaring heatedly at both of the men.

"Unlike the _both of you_, I am _stuck_ in this figure!" Seth whined. She pirouetted before them as a sour expression came onto her mouth. Abel smiled openly. However much Seth tried, she still remained in the body of a young girl, and had not aged since the last two centuries, dating back to when Armageddon had started. Cain and Abel too had not changed physically, and both of them looked like they had recently ended their teenage years.

"Do you think people would actually believe me if I claimed to be Seth Nightlord, member of the Mars Colonisation Project, and Crusnik 03?" she asked of both of them. Neither of them moved as Seth rambled on. "They'll laugh and jeer!" she shouted as she made her way to the door. As the door slid open, they could still hear her saying faintly, "Fancy being a Crusnik when this is all you have." Just as the shadow of her figure grew shorter and shorter, it suddenly disappeared and Seth was peering into the room once more. She smiled at them widely, revealing her pearly white teeth.

"Did I mention that we've got to go up to the Air Station for our nanomachines to be checked-up?" she posed the question. Abel shook his head at her while Cain looked away, a clouded expression on his face.

"Yay, we'll see Lilith-kaasan again!" Seth sang as she skipped off to the Training Room. When the door slid back into its closed position, Abel turned his attention to Cain. The blond felt Abel's eyes on him and immediately forced a smile on his face.

* * *

Okay, how did I do? -bites on bottom lip nervously- I'm keeping an open mind and I'll welcome any type of criticism:) Love it? Hate it? I'll hear you out :D


	2. Chapter 2: Sekai no kanjou zenbu yusabut

Disclaimer: I do not own Trinity Blood, nor any of its characters.

* * *

**Silver and Blond**

_Chapter 2 : Sekai no kanjou zenbu yusabutte_

_(Shake all of the World's Emotioins)_

**The 'Ark', or Mars Space Station**

"Lilith-kaasan!" Seth's joyful cry rang in the air. She was no longer dressed in the travelling outfit of the Methuselah, but she had donned on her smart white blouse and skirt that she wore while on the Space Station. Cain and Abel were dressed in their normal attires; long white suits that closely followed the shape of their tall, slim bodies. On their suits, their name was sewn on, together with their ranks. Abel's usually controlled features now relaxed into a smile as a tall, young woman with long red hair came to greet them. She was dressed like a goddess, with her hair elaborately arranged on her head and flowed in waves of scarlet down her shoulders. She smiled at the three of them and held Seth close to her as soon as the little girl had flung her arms around Lilith's waist. Lilith laughed openly when Seth restricted her from moving by clinging onto her tightly. She crouched down to meet Seth's eyes.

"Seth, my dear," she said warmly and hugged the young girl around her shoulders. When Seth finally let go of Lilith, Cain came forward. Lilith straightened up as Cain gave a graceful bow to her. Lilith demurely lifted a hand to cover the delighted smiled that was etched upon her lips. As soon as she and Cain exchanged greetings and had embraced each other, Lilith looked at the second of the Nightroad siblings. He still had the same look as he did when he was a young boy. The pale, silver hair falling over the eyes of the sky with the piercing gaze of intelligence still adorned his features. Lilith remembered the time when Cain and Abel stood an inch below her shoulder level. Now, they had matured and now stood taller than her. Abel reluctantly came forward, and Lilith could see the slight tinge of a blush on his cheeks. Surprisingly enough, he did not offer her a greeting but let her pull him into the circle of her arms. Lilith held Abel close, and though she did not say it out, she had missed him. Somehow, he was always present in her mind.

Cain watched all this with a closed expression. A smile was painted on his face, and to those who were not familiar with Cain's expressions, the smile was convincing enough to be real. However, Seth was not one of _those_ people. She saw a slight change in the way he held his gaze when Lilith rested her head on Abel's shoulder. It was a gesture of love and care, but Cain heard voices in his head that whispered thoughts he deemed impossible. When he felt Seth's eyes on him, he looked straight at her, causing Seth to look down at the floor immediately and repress a shudder.

The four Crusniks situated themselves in a room. At most times, Seth's soprano-like voice filled the air. Cain was peering at a screen, reading the message sent to him from the Methuselahs on the battleship back on Earth. Seth and Lilith sat side by side, and Seth had been recalling to Lilith every scene on the battlefield. When Cain's eyes had been focussing on the screen for too long, his eyes flickered to the enigmatic Seth and the serene Lilith. Abel seemed to have lost himself by staring out through the window, overlooking the surface of the moon. Although the Earth could also be seen from where Abel had positioned himself, he did not look towards the sphere of blue and green regions. Cain knew Abel did not wish to be reminded of the chaos that was taking place on Earth that very moment. And to think that they had left their posts back on Earth just for a normal check-up of the nanomachines in their body was simply ironic, to Cain's point of view. He dropped his gaze for a moment before returning to his original position and sent a reply to the Methuselah in charge of moving the army.

"Now Seth, I've got to bring you to Health Care Room," Lilith was saying. Seth pouted, irritated at being interrupted in her glorious telling of their conquests upon the Terrans.

"But _why_?" she asked dismally. "I've just reached the best part, Lilith-kaasan, where Abel had dashed forward and…" her voice trailed off as she walked away from the lounging area together with Lilith by her side. For a few minutes, the room was silent. Cain was still giving his full attention to the screen, whereas Abel had torn his eyes away from looking at the moon's cavernous surface. Cain suddenly felt arms tighten around his neck. When a silver lock brushed against his cheek, he let the corners of his mouth curve upwards in a smile. Abel held onto Cain for a while, before letting his arms drop away.

"I missed you," Abel said in a tone enabled him to sway Cain away from the most serious of matters. Certain softness touched his features when he looked at Abel. The blond threw back his head and laughed. His long bangs fell away from his face as he did so. He touched the tip of Abel's nose lightly.

"Only the second day of us being here," Cain noted. Abel simply shrugged, and smiled slightly when he saw Cain grin at him. When Cain advanced forward, Abel could not help taking a step back.

"Lilith," he pronounced the name carefully, as though reminding Cain. "She would-" Abel cut himself off in time, before he had said the painful truth out loud. Cain stopped in his steps, and looked away from Abel. _Lilith would not approve of us._ Abel, when he saw Cain had stepped away from him with a dark expression on his face, felt guilty. He approached Cain cautiously, as though fearing an outburst from the golden haired young man with soulful blue eyes. It caught him off guard when Cain pulled him close and touched the corner of Abel's mouth with his own lips. Blue eyes met blue eyes.

"It's not your fault," Cain stated slowly. His arm fell away from Abel's shoulder down to Abel's waist and he pulled Abel close to him. They both watched the scene of the Earth serenading in peace from a distance. From their view, the Earth looked as though nothing unusual had happened. If one had gone through the stratosphere, airships were seen floating and explosions happened at every continent. It was Armageddon's gift to the dwellers of Earth. War occurred, and blood wet the ground down to the very core. Lives were lost for each time the clock's needle ticked, and nothing seemed to concern anyone except the hope that a true victory would finally be won by either side.

"Beautiful, isn't she?" Cain asked out of the blue. Abel seemed taken aback at his question, for he knew in the depths of his heart that it was not the opal-like surface of the Earth that Cain saw, but the victims of the slaughter in battle.

"Ah- yes, yes she is," Abel answered quickly. He preferred if they got off that topic that made him shift uneasily. Cain seemed to have read his thoughts, but delved on another topic that was not at all that favourable for Abel, but was better than the previous one they had been touching on.

"Amazing isn't it? The four of us in one room up here," Cain gave a laugh at this point. "And down there, we're fighting as though there's no tomorrow," he remarked casually. Abel knew he referred to Lilith siding the Terrans, or humans, when the three of them had led the Methuselah to battle against the people that Lilith supported.

"Well, when you've been with a group for a long time, it's hard to act the opposite of how you've always been behaving with them around," Abel quipped. Cain laughed joyously at this, and his hold on Abel's waist tightened as he drew Abel close.

"My dearest Abel," he purred at Abel, who now could not resist smiling back. "You do make such concise remarks on what's been playing in my mind," Cain praised, while tapping his forefinger on Abel's forehead.

/scene shifts/

"Cain?" Seth's voice came as they were eating their dinner. Cain looked up from his food, and savoured the taste that he had grown up with, compared to the strong-tasting food they served back on Earth that he was unused to.

"Yes?" he answered politely, urging Seth to continue. Seth took a spoonful and ate it down quickly before posing her question. Lilith touched her hand gently, as though reminding her of her manners. Seth gave an apologetic smile to Lilith first before turning to Cain.

"Do you know the Methuselah with brown hair that sits at the east side of the Control Room?" she inquired. Cain gave a careless shrug. Such trivial matters were of no concern to him. He then shook his head at Seth.

"Well, her name's Sylvia," Seth continued, unperturbed by Cain's dismissal. She leaned close to Cain, before whispering sharply, "She likes you." Cain could not help laughing at this. He pinched Seth's cheek affectionately, much to her irritation.

"Alas, Seth my dear, tell the lovely lady that I'm currently in love with someone else right now," he told the young girl sitting opposite him. Seth gave a toss of her shiny dark hair that it shone an emerald green in the light, matching the colour of her eyes.

"And break her heart?" she asked incredulously. "I don't think so," she said.

"Well, that's too bad. I'm not planning on leaving the special _person _anytime now," he said in an offhand manner. He shot Abel a dashing smile and squeezed Abel's hand under the table. Lilith silently observed the rising colour to Abel's pale cheeks. Her eyes clouded over for a moment, but as soon as it had come, it was gone.

**Alliance Aerospace Navy Fortress**

The three of them donned on their outfits as soon as the bell of daybreak rang loud and clear throughout the whole fortress. Seth Nightroad eyed the two young men beside her. She was already dressed in the Methuselah battle gear; a fitting suit made from a stretchable material that enabled her to perform a variety of extensive movements during the battle. She saw Abel, his hands quickly working at fitting the armour onto his body. Cain was doing the exact something. Seth caught the disgruntled expression written on both their faces. At first, they had refused to put on any type of armour. The three of them had strongly insisted on going to battle in their spacesuits. It was not as though the spacesuits were weighing them down, in fact the suits felt as light as a feather on their bodies. It closely fitted the slender shape of their bodies, and flowed smoothly as they moved. Not at all like the thick, confining armour that they were forced to put on. Only Seth managed to wear the special gear given to highly qualified soldiers and top assassins. For once, she was thankful for her small size.

A small hologram appeared on the only table in the room. The General was a powerfully built man, and his lifespan was probably the longest than any other Methuselah. He had been in power since the beginning of Armageddon, and had been the mastermind behind every successful attack that had been launched from the side of the Methuselah. It was simply uncommon for an extremely high-ranking person to bow down before people, but as soon as the three Crusniks faced him, he bowed down immediately.

"Commanders," he looked to Cain and Abel, who inclined their heads respectfully in the General's direction. The General looked to Seth and bowed too while saying, "Lady Augusta Vradica."

"The Terran army is not far away," he said as soon as he had risen. "May I presume that my lieges and my lady are ready?" he asked of them. Cain stepped forward as the eldest.

"We are all set. We shall be at the frontline right away," he informed. "Thank you for relaying us this information, General," Cain spoke, and the hologram blurred for a moment before completely disappearing. Abel then turned to face Seth, who was massaging her neck.

"Does no one but us know who you really are?" he asked her. Seth glared at him before saying haughtily, "Unlike _some_ people, _I _choose to remain discreet. You both may flaunt your handsomeness at the frontline of the battalion, but I'll stay protected with the assassins." Abel for once could not resist from laughing out loud, as Cain had always been doing. When Abel laughed, Cain froze in his movements and Seth's mouth hang open. It took Abel a few moments before he straightened himself and gave a reassuring smile.

"It's all right. I'm fine. It's just that- _that_ was seriously refreshing," Abel breathed out. Cain strode over to him and gave him an encouraging pat on the back.

"It's good to loosen up before facing a battle," Cain told the both of them. He then walked over to the door and opened it. When the door slid open, Cain went out first, followed by Abel and Seth. Though the three of them walked in silence, voices echoed in their minds. A thought suddenly emerged in Cain's mind, and he stopped so suddenly in his tracks without a warning that Seth was about to walk right into him. Fortunately, Abel held her back just in time. Cain turned around immediately and apologised to Seth hastily. His usually twinkling blue eyes now held a hard gaze.

"If anything happens," he began, and he looked from Abel to Seth. "Reveal your true forms," he beseeched. A breath drawn in sharply by Seth followed this statement, and even Abel looked horrified. He took a step towards Cain.

"Surely you don't think anything very bad is going to happen to us," Abel was saying. "The Terrans are no match for us-"

"Abel, their _weapons_ could inflict severe damage to any one of us," Cain said urgently. Seth swallowed.

"But during our last visit to the Ark, Lilith said that we'd only be allowed to activate our nanomachines to 80," she stated. Cain nodded at her.

"Yes, but that will do," he assured the both of them. When he saw that Seth was still biting on her lip in uncertainty, he added, "I'm not asking you to go for 80, even 40 would be enough. As Abel said earlier, _the Terrans are no match for us_." With that, he turned about his heel and started to walk off. Seth walked too slowly as her mind was still processing the information she had received earlier. Abel held on to her hand as they walked, hoping to give her strength and confidence she would need for battle. The three of them came to the junction where those leading the soldiers took the turn to the left whereas those who were included in the 'special missions' went to the right. Abel was about to follow Cain down the left until Seth gripped his hand urgently. He was about to insist that he had to rush until he saw that her eyes glittered. Abel's expression softened as he crouched down to level himself with her. She threw her arms around his neck as she burst into tears.

"I don't want you to go, Abel-niisan!" she cried. "I don't like war! I hate it! I hate it!" Seth raged. Abel stroked her dark, shining hair, watching the way it glinted green under the light. When she finally released her hold on him, he kissed her forehead.

"I don't like war either," he told her seriously. "But for the sake of the Methuselah and ourselves, we _have_ to fight," Abel convinced the teary Seth. Seth rubbed her eyes childishly and sniffed her nose.

"Promise me you and Cain will be okay?" she asked imploringly. Abel gripped her hand tightly.

"I promise," he vowed. "I promise I'll protect the both of you, and myself included."

**Battlefield**

Abel arrived just in time as the negotiators from both sides stated their terms. He took his place beside Cain, who had tilted his head back to warm his face in the sunlight. A strong breeze blew, and Abel could hear the Methuselah soldiers lined up by their aircrafts behind them softly sighing or whispering words of prayer to the wind. Abel enjoyed the wind ruffling his hair, and remembered how he had adamantly had refused to wear the headgear, saying that it made his head feel tight. Cain had laughed at Abel's frank statement and tugged on the lock that fell just below Abel's forehead playfully. Cain's long hair danced in the breeze, shining the streaks of gold. Abel could not help but smile as he watched the person he treasured the most as he took a moment's leave before the call of battle resonated.

"Mmm," Cain hummed with his eyes closed. Abel smiled wider at this sudden change in Cain. He had gone from seriousness to being youthful. "You're so beautiful, you know," Cain murmured in a low voice just intended for Abel. Abel felt his cheeks suddenly growing hot as Cain opened his eyes and looked straight at Abel. "When you smile, when you laugh, or when you're serious," Cain paused for a moment to draw in a breath. "You're always beautiful, Abel." He pronounced Abel's name faintly, like a breath of prayer.

"Cain…" Abel could not form words, but he knew in his mind what he wanted to say. Not caring if the soldiers behind him had a sharp sense of hearing, he opened his mouth and said, "I lo-" when Cain suddenly silenced him by placing his finger on Abel's lips.

"I _know_." Cain remarked knowingly. Abel brightened up as Cain winked at him. "Because I do too," said Cain cheerily. For some reason, this momentarily lifted Abel's spirits. When he faced the open field, his brow furrowed again. When he looked up to the bright sky, he saw the blinding sun that appeared white in the sky. Was that how the Ark looked from Earth? Did it appear as visibly as the sun or was it a mere speck of white among the puffy clouds? At mention of the Ark, nostalgia washed over Abel.

"_The three of you must come up once in a while to get your Crusnik infusion," Seth said to the Crusniks standing before her. As the scientist, she was charged with their care. Cain and Abel had their arms crossed, though Abel had turned his face away from Lilith. Lilith stood at a relaxed pose, as she was the only one who was completely infused with the nanomachines._

"_Why must we bother to come up here?" Cain asked. He locked gazes with Lilith, challenging her. Lilith did not even flinch at his cynical tone. She raised her lovely head a little higher._

"_The Crusnik nanomachines cannot just be infused into your bodies right away," Seth explained, determined to ease the rising tension. "It's done in stages to avoid-__" she glanced at Abel for a second, wondering if he was listening to her words. She saw Abel's blue eyes fix themselves on her, and when he felt Lilith's stare on him, he glared at Lilith. "-__unnecessary occurrences," Seth finished. Cain raised his golden eyebrow disbelievingly at this. _

_They had been in an argument before all this. The argument had been there since they had learned the truth of their existence. They were not human, they were genetically engineered as expendables for the Red Mars Project. The four of them had been taught in the UNASF army before they had left for Mars._

_On Mars, Lilith and Abel had discovered the original alien-manufactured Ark, and Seth had discovered the Crusnik nanomachines and Bacillus virus within them. The discovery had triggered the occurence of Armageddon on Earth, much to the shock of the Mars colonists. In the meantime, Seth had carried out an experiment and infused the colonists with the Bacillus virus. The colonists were overjoyed, for the virus had altered their genetic structure to give them enhanced physical and mental abilities, as well as prolong their life._

_But the Crusnik nanomachines were kept in secret. Seth had called all three of them to come to her laboratory one night, and had explained the miraculous wonders the nanomachines held within them. Cain had been the first one to volunteer, even after Seth had warned that the nanomachine infusion had cost a colonist his life. Cain became the first Crusnik in existence, followed by Abel and finally Seth infused herself._

_Lilith had refused Seth's offer. This surprised the remaining three, but Seth simply smiled, accepting Lilith's decision. However, she gave a capsule of nanomachines to Lilith and winked at her mischievously. _

_"It gives you powers that you can only dream of. Trust me, I know," Seth had said. That was when Lilith glimpsed Seth's true nature. _

_When the news of the colonists being infused with the recently discovered Bacillus virus reached Earth, it triggered another war, that was between the Mars colonists and the humans on Earth. Victory had been seized by the colonists, who only held one desire in their hearts; to return to Earth._

_Their arrival on Earth also showed them the effects of the Bacillus infusion. The colonists, now dubbed the 'Returners' found themselves shying away from the sunlight, for it burned their skin. And the humans on Earth now envied the genetically enhanced Returners, thus launching another war. The killing of a Returner had provoked Abel, whose hatred for humans never diminished since he knew the truth of his existence. When Abel had caused a massacre, the Returners sided with him and fought against the humans. The Crusniks then were known as the Night Lords._

_Halfway through the war, Lilith had turned away from the three of them, stating that their wish for freedom was now tainted by their bloodlust. She then infused herself with the nanomachines given by Seth, and became Crusnik 04. However, even if they fought on different sides, they still returned to the Ark to have their infusion in stages, as Seth had asked them to. Although Lilith had been infused completely, she still came up to the Ark to see the family she had left behind to heed the call of her destiny._

_Partings had always been difficult, for Abel took Lilith's leave of the Methuselahs, or the new name for the Returners, very hard on himself, as Lilith had been the one to comfort him when they were on Mars. It was not that Cain and Abel were distant, but Abel resented Cain for his existence. However, Lilith's departure had opened his eyes to see Cain in a new light, and Cain was more than delighted when Abel grew closer to him._

_Abel never forgot Lilith. But their distance had their significant effects._

"_I do not wish to part on bad terms with either of you," Lilith had said wistfully. Seth had rushed forth and hugged Lilith around the waist. Cain too had stepped close to Lilith and let her touch his forehead in blessing. Abel still was leaning against the wall, watching the scene before him. Cain beckoned for him to come to Lilith. Abel looked meaningfully at Cain, who smiled at him encouragingly. When Abel looked to Lilith who awaited him, he thought he had imagined her eyes shining with tears. _

"_Come, Abel-niisan," Seth pleaded. "Lilith-kaasan wants to give you her blessings." Abel had glanced briefly at Seth, and then continued to stare at Lilith. Her eyes were no longer shining, but she now smiled warmly at him. Seeing everyone's smiles, Abel felt a slight pain within him that cursed him for being unfeeling. When he had stood in front of Lilith, he was shocked when she threw her arms around his neck and held him close. She finally released him, and touched his arm._

"_Forgive me, Abel. I will always love you, but there are times when we have to be who our heart wants us to be."_

"Abel," Cain called to him, causing Abel to liberate himself from the sea of memories and return to the present. Cain's eyes were staring straight at the scenery before him. When Abel fixed his gaze upon the hills, he saw what had made Cain's normally smiling face now hard and cold. Battle androids of the hundreds were aligned in an impenetrable barrier. Not even a single human face was in sight. The Methuselah army appeared to only consist of Methuselah fighter pilots and their aircrafts. Abel heard Cain suddenly give a snort.

"Trust Terrans to cower behind their clumsy machines when they hear of bloodshed," Cain remarked, with sarcasm dripping from every word he had uttered. Abel could not say anything. For some reason, Lilith's face flashed in his mind. Was Lilith behind those steel creatures? Was she about to lead the Terran army to war? Abel was caught off guard when Cain suddenly spun him around closed the distance between them by kissing Abel. Abel closed his eyes in relaxation but came to his senses when he realised that they stood in front of many. Cain let go of Abel just as abruptly as he had approached. Abel glanced quickly at the fighter pilots, but they appeared to be too engrossed in their preparations.

"Don't worry," came Cain's voice. He leaned casually against his aircraft and winked at Abel. "Our hair covered the whole scene." Abel's hand shot out to touch his flowing hair and true enough, silver threads danced in the wind.

"_Commander Nightlord?"_ a voice echoed in Abel's ear cavity from the tiny speaker that was attached to his pinna. He looked at Cain in confusion, but Cain merely urged him on to respond to the General.

"At ready, sir," Abel confirmed in a firm voice. The fighter pilots had already boarded their respective aircrafts, leaving Cain and Abel who remained out of their own cockpits.

"_You are to lead the army into the sky. Following the formation code of 3E-A2D,"_ directed the General. Abel nodded in assent, but remembered that the General most probably was not able to see his signal of confirmation.

"Copy, sir," he affirmed. Abel stepped into the cockpit quickly but skilfully, and activated the engines.

"_Crusnik 02. Commander Abel Nightlord. Identity confirmed," _the mechanical voice beeped from the control panel. Abel pressed a few buttons and lifted the selected levers necessary to activate flight. As soon as his aircraft left solid ground, Cain followed suit, and an endless line of aircrafts flew after the both of them. The Terran androids had already taken flight with their own mechanical wings powered by combusting motors in their bodies.

"_Request formation code," _came the mechanical voice again. Abel took a deep breath at first. It was not his first real battle, but for some reason, his senses were teetering more on the edge than they usually were. Abel could feel the knot in his stomach expanding in girth. He tensed his shoulders for a moment, hoping to loosen the strained muscles.

"3E-A2D," he told the machine. Lights flashed on the mini control screen, and the bold words 'SWIFT AIR FORMATION CODED IN. ACTIVATED,' blinked in red at Abel.

"My dear, you should take a few deep breaths in and out. You look like you could hyperventilate any second now," Cain's rich voice came into his ear. Abel jerked in his cockpit almost immediately at being surprised and looked to the left to see Cain's own aircraft close to his. He could see the golden sheen of Cain's hair in the sun.

"Don't say anything yet," Cain warned in his ear. "Say the word 'Crusnik', and your words will only be heard by me." Abel was so thankful that none of the Terran androids had opened fire yet. He allowed himself the liberty of talking to Cain.

"Crusnik," he found himself saying, and a strange buzzing sound was heard, before Cain's voice was heard again.

"I specially programmed this," Cain explained, indicating the private conversation program, which was based on the voice recognition method. "There are _some _matters that we can't disclose to others," Cain stated, and Abel detected the slightest touch of arrogance in his voice.

"But the General-" Abel protested, but Cain came faster.

" The _General_ is not a Crusnik, like us," Cain emphasised. Abel thought he heard Cain giving a sigh.

"These people," Cain was saying. "They think they know what Crusniks really are, but they haven't the slightest idea of what we can do."

* * *

Hello!

I'd like to thank all my reviewers, the four of you make my day:) I'll update every week, and I look forward to your feedback, dears:)

Vampyro Teuthis: Thank you so much:) To tell you the truth, I've only been reading shonen-ai since last year, and I'm rather new to it. I'll do my best to make my story pleasing for you to read!

Issylt: Ray dearie! I do love to hear from you so much, you Aussie-babe! And I am Aesya, mind you;p it's still the same old me under the skin. Seth would have been pretty cool about it, she KNOWS, heeheehee:) yup, still checking out Naruto!

jhanna555: I'll update very soon, every week, pinky promiseXD

SheDevil85: Arigatou gozaimasu! Yup, I'll keep burning my keyboard keys;)


	3. Chapter 3: Hontou no kanashimi wo shi

Disclaimer: Trinity Blood nor any of its characters belong to me.

* * *

**Silver and Blond**

**Chapter 3 : Hontou no kanashimi wo shitta hitomi wa ai ni afurete**

**_(In these eyes that have seen true sorrow, love is overflowing)_**

The battle was long and fierce. The Terran androids fired upon the Methuselah aircrafts with an impossible accuracy, and some of the unfortunate fighter pilots had lost their lives and fallen to the ground without a single guarantee that they were able to draw breath after encountering the fall. Abel had exited the 'Crusnik' conversation with Cain, for he had a duty to protect the fleet.

"Aircraft M3E2-Delta, two on the left," Abel warned as his eyes scanned the screen that showed the entire progress of the fleet. At the same time, he had to focus on what went on around his own aircraft. Fortunately, the Methuselah's boasts of their supreme command of Lost Technology were not just based on arrogance itself. More than once, Abel's aircraft automated defence system had warned him against countless attacks, which had been launched upon his aircraft. The said aircraft reflexively swung to the right and dropped several attitudes and narrowly missed the two missiles hot on its trail.

"_Defence team positioned at 23E45N coordinates. Special mission executed,"_ the General's voice resonated in Abel's ear. Abel's heart skipped a beat and he looked at the view down from his aircraft consciously.

"Seth," Abel could not stop himself from saying. "Crusnik!" his voice rang out clearly. A split second after the buzzing sound had finished, Cain's voice came on.

"Abel, I heard it!" Cain said quickly. "Seth-"

"You're in charge of the fleet, Cain!" Abel brought his aircraft down to a lower altitude and shot off to the said coordinates.

"Abel!" Cain called out, but was only met by silence. "Abel, come back!"

Ignoring Cain's voice, Abel had gone off at full speed and reached the coordinates told by the General. True enough, Seth was there, moving at her fastest speed. Though Abel did not see her face, he knew it was her from the shape of her lithe body and from the way she moved almost as fast as light itself. On her shoulder, she hitched a large bazooka and fired it at the Terran androids which came too close to the fortress or which threatened the aircraft fleet. Abel felt his heart lighten up at seeing Seth in one piece.

"Abel!" Cain called out to him relentlessly. When Abel checked the screen, Cain's aircraft was beside his own. Cain looked pressed.

"Is Seth all right?" he asked Abel. The silver haired young man ignored the question.

"Why are you here, Cain? I thought I left you in charge of the fleet!" Abel accused. Cain did not even seem unnerved by Abel's outburst.

"The fleet has broken up. The fighter pilots have gone places and abandoned the formation," Cain stated.

"That's impossible!" Abel cried out.

"See for yourself," Cain replied curtly. Abel's eyes strayed desperately to the screen, and true enough, no formation existed.

"Never mind, we'll stay put here and defend the fortress," Abel suggested. Cain did not reply, but Abel assumed that he had agreed when he saw Cain's aircraft staying at a fixed position.

"_Missile approaching at approximately 5.97 meters," _Abel's aircraft system informed. _"Approaching unidentified object at coordinate 20E45N." _Abel's eyes widened. Why did that coordinate seem ever so vaguely familiar? His sharp eyes scanned the sky and spotted the missile. His heart leaped as he saw where the missile headed. Not towards his own cockpit nor Cain's, but-

"_Seth_!" Abel shouted, unable to mask his fear and worry. He looked around the cockpit frantically for a useful tool. He knew that if he flew straight to the missile, Seth would be saved at the cost of his death.

However, if he managed to reach Seth before the missile came, the missile would be unable to diverge at the last moment, and then they both would be saved. Without giving a second thought, Abel pressed the red button and felt himself being launched into the air. Unlike Seth and Lilith, Abel and Cain possessed the gift to fly short distances while in their normal form. Abel flew straight to Seth's form, which was crouched over as she was in the process of reloading her bazooka. In one swift movement, he slipped his arm around Seth's waist and quickly flew over to a safe distance away from her original position.

The missile then exploded, and the force from the combustion knocked both Seth and Abel, causing them to roll over on the rocks, narrowly missing the edge of the cliff. Abel flung himself over Seth, protecting her from the full force of the explosion. The noise was deafening, and the heat was scorching. After Abel was sure that the full brunt of the explosion had passed, he lifted himself off from Seth's body. Seth's deep green eyes were large and frightened, and she fixed him with a look full of meaning.

"Abel-niisan, I-"

"_Abel_!" Cain's voice suddenly rang out from the sky. Abel saw Cain soaring through the wind, freed from his aircraft. His finger pointed to northwest of where Abel and Seth were. Another missile was aimed straight for the both of them. Abel had scrambled to his feet as quickly as he could with much difficulty from the bodily harm caused by the previous explosion. The moment Seth latched her arms onto him for dear life he looked at the missile. It was too close, _much_ too close to them. Even if he was able to fly, he could not make it in time. Abel's injured body refused to obey his. He held onto Seth tightly and shut his eyes, bracing himself for the impact when-

"_Move_!" he heard Cain shout and he felt himself being levitated into the air. He opened his eyes and saw Cain's face, his determination evident with the setting of his jaw. The relief that overcame Abel disappeared into nothingness when he felt Cain toss his body and Seth's to the rocks just when another explosion happened.

Abel became aware when he felt his heart beating painfully in his chest. He knew that he had broken many bones when he had hit the rocky surface. Everything happened on that same range; Seth had been attacking the androids, missiles had been launched towards the special defence team, Abel rescuing Seth only to know that they had been pursued by another missile, and Cain was in the air- _Cain_. What had happened to Cain when he and Seth were tossed to the ground? As far as Abel could remember, Cain had been in mid-flight when it happened.

With a low growl, Abel fought the excruciating pain numbing his senses and sat up. He felt a warm liquid rise to his throat. His breathing was disrupted when the metallic taste of the warm liquid glided over his tongue as his body racking with spasms. Before he was fully aware of what happened, blood was coughed out from his mouth. As Abel looked at the crimson patch, he knew he had internal haemorrhages occurring within his body. Nevertheless, he pushed himself off the ground and bit his lip to stop himself from crying out in pain as his broken bones joined together and the dislocated bones slid back into their original positions. However, the pain only lessened by a fraction. He vaguely recalled that Seth had once told the three of them that the nanomachines located within their body could only promote healing and regeneration up to a certain extend. Abel fought against the raging fatigue, and looked around him.

Thousands of feet above him, a battle raged on. Occasionally, an aircraft or an android would come crashing onto the hilly range. The once grassy hills had suffered badly from the explosion, leaving behind bare, rocky ranges. He spotted Seth lying a few feet away from him, still unconscious.

"Seth!" Abel whispered sharply. He limped over to her and gathered her into his arms. When Seth's eyelids fluttered open, Abel heard a faint bubbling sound before she gave away to coughing up blood. Abel held onto her tightly as the spasms came over her one by one. When she was finally done, she shrugged off the hand he offered to her and struggled to her feet by herself.

"Abel-niisan," her voice sounded hoarse. "Where's Cain?" she asked of him. Abel watched her hunching over as her bones healed themselves. Abel bit on his bottom lip.

"I don't know. I'm trying to find him as well," Abel informed her, and they both started to walk at a slow-pace and looked for Cain. As far as Abel's eye could see, the ranges seemed deserted. Then, he spotted a splat of red on one of the large stones around him. Abel's eyes widened as he saw that a number of stones had those crimson drops. It only meant one thing; Cain was nearby.

"Seth, there's a trail of blood!" Abel called out to her. He walked fast and followed the trail of blood, praying that Cain was not severely injured. However, the red drops only increased in radius, and Abel felt his stomach give a sickening lurch. If Cain had suffered severe injuries, the nanomachines could only do- His thoughts stopped when he heard Seth scream. He looked to where she gazed, and the sight of it made him cringe. Cain's body was bruised and battered, lying on the stones, bleeding heavily onto the stones, his form twisted in an impossible way that could only be the result of his fall from the massive force of the explosion.

"Cain!" Abel cried out desperately as he struggled to quicken his pace in order to reach Cain. The moment he had reached Cain's body, he gasped as he saw Cain's injuries up close. Gashes were everywhere on his skin, and blood seemed to be oozing from everywhere, his gashes, his nose, his mouth… He caressed Cain's cheek lightly. He felt Seth approaching from behind him, her pants for breath filling his ears. Cain's left eye twitched.

"A- Ab- Abel," Cain slowly drew out. Abel felt his hopes rise within him.

"Cain!" he whispered fiercely. Cain's blue eyes flickered and he looked at Abel deeply, as though condemning the face of Abel to his memory. He gave a grunt as he lifted his arm painfully from the ground and touched Abel's face.

"I- I lo-" Cain punctuated the short syllables in his fading breath. His body gave a jerk and blood spurted out of his mouth when he coughed. The red droplets hit Abel in the face, but Abel did not move away. He cradled Cain against his chest, watching every expression that the blond gave away. Seth took Cain's free hand and felt her tears sting her eyes when she saw that a pool of blood had spread from under his body. Cain still forced himself with saying the words. His face was contorted with agony as he drew breath into his damaged body. With his fading strength, he squeezed Seth's hand comfortingly and took one last glimpse at Abel.

"I… love you," Cain whispered, and the muscles in his body suddenly went limp. The hand that had been gripped by Seth turned cold in her hold. Seth's eyes widened.

"C- Cain?" Abel called out slowly. There was no reaction, but for the endless stare of Cain's blue eyes on Abel's face. Seth lost control of her calm and started to cry by the fallen Nightroad's side. Abel felt his body shaking, he was not sure if it was because of rage or fear or disbelief, but his heart only felt one emotion. Throwing his head back, Abel gave a cry of despair.

"_Cain!"_

**The 'Ark', Ark II**

Seth sat beside Abel in the tiny space shuttle that had transported them from Earth to the Ark. The young man that had silver strands for his hair had stripped himself off the battle gear and was now clothed in a simple robe that had been put on underneath the many layers of armour. Even Cain's armour was removed while they had waited in the hangar for a space shuttle. Abel had deactivated his nanomachines, and now his blood streaked hair flowed down his shoulders and pooled on Cain's dead body. Abel did not move a single inch as the shuttle jerked slightly, readjusting its position to fit perfectly in such a way that the openings of both the shuttle and the Ark fitted perfectly without as much as a single gap which leaked away to space. Seth felt slightly dizzy and light-headed, as the rush of activity she had gone through that whole day was finally taking its toll on her. Everything happened so quickly without letting those involved to even catch their breath. It all began with Cain's- Seth quickly turned her head away from Abel and tried to hold back the tears. She could remember how it all began.

_Abel was overcome with grief. He wept openly by Cain's dead body and kept on shaking his head, as though he was trying to deny the fact that Cain was dead. Seth felt as though the world had suddenly stopped turning. When she finally could move her limbs, the first thing she wanted to do was to scream as loud and long as she could. Then, she saw Abel. He looked more dreadful than he had ever been. His own blood, intermingled with Cain's and her own, now stained the usually silver finery of his hair. His face had gone deathly white, and his blue eyes were wide open, staring with shock at the face of the person cradled on his lap. Seth took in a deep breath, and knew she had to say something, but then again, she knew it was in vain. What else could she say? Cain had said enough. Though they both had never admitted it to her, she was aware of the love they shared. Although Seth loved Cain as a sister would love her brother, her pain could not be compared to what Abel felt._

_Seth felt Abel shaking violently. She looked up urgently as he stood up, and saw what had overcome him. His blue eyes turned a bright red, and his teeth grew into long, sharp fangs and protruded from his mouth. A dark blue hue coloured his pale lips, and his nails became claws. His long silver hair floated in the air in waves. Fearful of Abel for the first time in her life, Seth took a step back. But what really drew her attention was the pair of black wings that emerged from his back, and a giant black scythe formed in his hold. She could not help feeling awed by his Crusnik form, yet at the same time, she was terrified. In his current form, Abel looked fierce. However, when she met his eyes, she saw the sadness swimming deep within the crimson glow. _

"_Seth," he called to her, his voice sounding more hoarse and guttural than before. He had already gathered Cain's limp, bloody form in his arms. Seth painfully got to her feet, and Abel crouched down slightly to her. Seth was baffled at first and wondered what he meant her to do, but when he inclined his head slightly towards her, she knew what to do. Putting her arms around his neck securely, she got onto his back, taking care that she did not impede the movement of his wings. Seth held on tight as his black wings launched the three of them into the sky._

_Their journey to the UNASF Hangar was silent but full of anxiety. Seth was worried, and she wondered if what she had been thinking for the past few minutes was what Abel had been thinking all along in the first place. She could remember her experiments of their nanomachine infusion. The nanomachines, it seemed, enabled them to stay in their present state, unchanged through the sands of time. A high concentration of nanomachines enabled the Crusnik to fuse completely with nanomachines and be able to display the true Crusnik form. As the concentration of nanomachines increased, a Crusnik's power was increased. The existence of nanomachines within the bodies of the Crusniks also promoted regeneration, and ensured the continuation of the functioning of the body organs- Seth paused in her thoughts. Was that what Abel planned to do?_

"_Abel-niisan," Seth spoke loudly, hoping her voice could reach him when they were flying at a high velocity against the strong wind. She had to bury her shock when his changed face met hers. Seth pretended to look at wound in his shoulder as she spoke to avoid looking straight into his red eyes. "Are you-" she tried to say, but Abel beat her to it. _

"_Cain has to be infused with the 100 nanomachines," his deep voice came. Seth's eyes widened._

"What_?" she exclaimed incredulously. "We're not ready yet for the next infusion! Anything could happen-"_

"_Do you have any other idea we could use?" Abel countered back, then realised his error. For once, he had raised his voice to Seth. However, Seth appeared not to care. She fought back at his taunt._

"_Something terrible can happen to Cain!" she cried. She heard Abel sigh regrettably._

"_Can there be anything more terrible than death?" he asked of her softly. One tear rolled down Seth's cheek. She did not say anything. She felt like vanishing into thin air, leaving behind the cruelty of the world._

"_Seth," Abel spoke her name just as gently as he previously did, despite the gravely sound present in his voice. "Be strong."_

It had been six hours since Cain had been killed. Finally, the door that separated the Ark from the shuttle they were in slid open. Not yet entering the Ark, Abel looked up to the tiny black object located on the ceiling. Seth did the same thing.

"DNA VERIFIED. CRUSNIK 02. CRUSNIK 03. CRUSNIK 01-EXPIRED. MICROLASERS DEACTIVATED." Abel stepped closer as soon as the voice had stopped speaking and swung his foot over the separating boundary, careful not to drop Cain's body. He immediately lengthened his strides as he rushed through the corridor; passing by the many doors located in the Ark. Abel's eyes scanned each word written on the doors. He was not even sure of what he looked for, but the slight pressure of Cain's head, which lolled against his chest, reminded him of the seriousness of the situation. He could feel Seth running to keep up with him, her breath coming out of her in ragged gasps.

"It's a door that bears no words on it," Seth said between her breaths for air. Abel's eyes flickered to her, pursuing her statement. "I myself worked in it, it's located on the eastern wing of the Ark," Seth informed. Abel immediately changed his course by turning into the first right turn. Seth could not help feeling amazed at the number of doors they passed by, and for once felt a tinge of doubt in herself that she knew very well the place that she had lived on for many years. It was a maze; the twisted turns of the corridors, each room having a function varying completely from the other as she took in the title of each room. It seemed almost like a long time when they finally reached the door of the room with no sign. The entrance into the room was small, for only one person could pass through the door at a time, judging by the size of the doorframe. Unlike the stark, glowing white of the other doors, this door had a slightly greyish tinge to it, looking alike to the other doors from afar, but different when looked at closely. Abel and Seth looked up to the ceiling, hoping to see some dark object indicating a DNA scanner, but found none. Instead, a voice was heard.

"REQUEST PASSWORD FOR PERMISSION TO ENTER."

Abel and Seth both looked at each other, as though hoping to find a solution to their problem written on each other's faces. Although Seth was the one in charge of their infusion, she could not recall setting a password for the room. Perhaps, she thought, Lilith had been the one to secure the room. Seth had fingered the door, as though trying to search for another way to enter the room.

"Abel-niisan, what do we do?" she asked him, desperation etched on her youthful features. Abel took a deep breath and closed his eyes. He concentrated long and hard, and Seth watched him, feeling a mix of fear and anticipation. With one arm wrapped securely around Cain's form, he extended his free hand. Much to Seth's surprise, electric sparks flew from Abel's hand. He extended his arm and faced his palm towards the miniature control box on the left side of the door that was used for keying in the password. The bioelectricity Abel generated from his hand was now directed to the control box, and the box gave a variety of beeps and sizzled under the powerful electricity. Abel continued to generate the bioelectric field until the red light on the control box turned green.

"PASSWORD CONFIRMED. ENTRANCE PERMITTED," beeped the control box. The door slid open and Seth rushed in first, followed by Abel who took great care in carrying Cain's body. Seth hurried towards the glass shelves, her eyes searching. Abel had looked forward from his position, and saw a single capsule containing a dark liquid enclosed in a glass box. His heart skipped a beat, for he knew it had to be the nanomachines.

"Seth," Abel called softly. Seth swung her head around to where Abel stared. When she saw what was written on the glass box, she read it out aloud.

"Crusnik nanomachines," she mouthed. She looked to the other glass box positioned to the left of the box containing the nanomachines, and her hand flew to her mouth to cover her expression of shock.

"_Bacillus_ virus," Abel read out for her. Seth nodded a little faintly as she looked away, realising that what those glass capsules enclosed were one of the main reasons that sparked Armageddon. Humans who were infected with the _Bacillus_ turned into Methuselah.

Seth was still fingering the capsules but became alert again as she saw Abel opening the door of the glass box which contained their nanomachines. She quickly stepped over to Abel and watched as he pulled out the capsule. It had nothing written on it, but Abel knew what it contained.

"Pass me a syringe, Seth," Abel told her, and Seth looked wildly about the room for the storage of the tools used for the infusion. After a thorough scanning with her eyes, she shook her head.

"Nothing here to be of use, Abel-niisan," she informed him. A thought came into her mind as she recalled a faint snatch of memory. "All the apparatus that I use for the infusion is in the Health Care room." she said. Abel had already exited the room quickly and briskly walked down the corridor, the glass capsule in his hand. Although it was difficult to carry Cain's body and at the same time handle the capsule with care, Abel's determination fuelled him on. Seth was now running by his side to keep up with his long strides.

"DNA VERIFIED. CRUSNIK 04. MICROLASERS DEACTIVATED," a voice beeped from above them. Abel and Seth shared a look that was full of meaning. Wordlessly, Abel handed over the capsule to Seth, who sped off for the Health Care room at her supersonic speed. Abel had broken out on a run, his heart pounding violently in his chest. Seth and him had come as fast as they could, and nothing could stop them now. Not even _her_.

When Abel finally reached the room, he saw Seth slowly extracting the nanomachines from the capsule by means of a syringe. Abel then placed Cain's body carefully on the metal table meant for physical examinations. Only when Abel had retracted his hands from Cain, he felt the fatigue in his arm muscles. He did not feel any pain all that time when he had rushed from the battlefield to the hangar to head for the Ark. His determination to make Cain alive once more was a burning blaze within his chest, consuming and overpowering. Even Seth had her jaw set in serious concentration as she pulled the plunger slowly, ensuring that no air bubbles were present within the liquid in the syringe.

Abel bit his lip as he looked at Cain's pale face, still portraying the miraculous beauty Abel had fallen in love with. His golden hair, now patched with blood, was spread on the table like a halo around him. Slowly, Abel pushed away the lock of gold that covered his left eye, now closed in death. Once the syringe had been fully filled, Seth walked over to Abel and handed the syringe over. Abel took it from her while Seth opened the front of Cain's robe to reveal his chest, now bloodied with bones sticking out of the skin. Seth felt her stomach churn, and she looked away quickly lest Abel see her expression. Abel pushed his hair back and positioned the syringe just above Cain's heart. Just as he was about to plunge the syringe into the epidermis, a scream was heard.

"_No, Abel!"_

Abel looked to the door, and true enough, Lilith stood there. Her deep red hair now flew about her face, and Abel guessed that she had been running towards the many rooms on the Ark, looking for them. Lilith's eyes fixed themselves upon Cain's body, and at the sight of the syringe filled with the dark liquid she knew so well, she advanced herself upon the three of them. Seth immediately rushed to hold her back, but Abel knew her efforts would soon be in vain. Lilith, although gentle as she was, was still a Crusnik who possessed strength more than an average human, and she was taller than Seth.

"Lilith-kaasan, please! Cain died for me, it was all my fault!" Seth cried out in tears, her arms around Lilith's legs. Lilith looked at Seth and shook her head violently.

"Abel!" she called, and Abel turned for a second at the sound of her voice. Lilith now was crying like Seth, and she was futilely torn between wanting to be gentle or to push Seth away. "The dead _cannot_ be revived!" cried Lilith, and Abel's hand started to shake slightly at her words. "Even if you could do it, he would not be the same person you knew!" came her voice again. Abel then faced her, his usually pale face now red with fury.

"You don't know if it will be a success or not, but we should try for Cain's sake! It was all my fault, Lilith-kaasan!" said Seth, whose expression was twisted within the turmoil building up in her mind. "_I_ should have died, but Cain sacrificed himself for Abel-niisan and I. He must live. Please," Seth begged Lilith whose eyes were fixed on Abel's hand that held the syringe containing the nanomachines. Abel too, faced indecision. He kept on glancing at Cain's lifeless form and at Lilith's face. Who was he to obey? Was it the person whom he fallen in love with at first sight or the person who had raised him up with all the tenderness she could and had stayed strong through the times when he was rebellious?

"You cannot do it! You just cannot!" Lilith screamed at Abel. "You don't know what will happen to him if you do so!" Her long finger pointed accusingly at Abel, who could no longer hold the rage accumulating within him.

"I don't care! Don't you try to stop me, Lilith!" he shouted back at her strongly. Lilith went pale for a second, as if anticipating what she had to do next to stop the flow of events that were about to take place. Abel raised the syringe again directly above Cain's heart again. At that moment, Lilith managed to free herself from Seth who now gave a scream of warning.

"_Abel-niisan!"_

Abel had seen Lilith coming from the corner of his eye. He tossed the syringe into the air, crying out, "Seth!" The young girl had moved at her supersonic speed and caught the syringe just in time before it broke itself on the ground. Abel now held firm the arms of a struggling Lilith, whose tears ran down her eyes in streams. He pushed Lilith forcefully away from Cain's body, and Seth rushed back to Cain's body and drove the needle deep into his skin, ensuring the closest distance possible from his heart.

"_No!"_

Lilith's long, sharp cry echoed the walls of the Ark as Seth pushed the plunger of the syringe downwards, infusing Cain with the Crusnik nanomachines. As soon as the syringe was devoid of contents, the three of them held their breath, looking at any sign of reaction from Cain's form. Seth had gone very pale and stepped away shakily. Her hand holding the now empty syringe shook with her body, and her grip loosened. There was a tinkling sound of glass crashing against the hard floor. Everyone seemed to hold his or her breaths in anticipation. Abel's hold on Lilith had gone lax, and Lilith found herself unconsciously stepping closer to Cain's body, waiting for the one thing she had deemed impossible to occur.

* * *

Author quickly makes a run for shelter, dodging heavy metal objects, rotten eggs and tomatoes thrown by the reviewers, while crying out 'I'm sorry I ended it as a cliffy! I promise the next chapter will resolve everything, seriously! Gomen nasai!'

Watashi wa minna-san daisuki na ni hontou!!:D (Everybody, I love you lotz!) I love each of my reviewers, seriously.. thank you so much for your support!

Kantra: Yeay! I hope you'll enjoy the chapters to come! Sure I'll update, I've promised to do it weekly:)

Issylt: Rachiewachie! Omg, zazzy told me that you've written many fanfics, and I've only been writing one, I'm so ashamed!;( I love Seth and Abel, if I were Seth, I'd be so happy to have an elder brother like Abel, wouldn't you?;) love you, dearie!

jhanna555: You make my day too with your review:) Yup, during the school assembly on Monday, I'd be the one yawning my head off. Mondays can be so dull:( Remember our pinky promise!

Ninjas Wings: I'm so glad you found it good!:D I'll keep it up, and hope to hear from you soon!

Zazz Syahirah: Zazzy-chan, you reviewed! Arigatou wa kanede kanaede! As if I wouldn't know you, zazzy-chan:) Ray and I were not 'kutuking' you, Miss Perasan.. We love you, kay:) I know you love Cain, dear, I know. sigh This girl is definitely in for blondes...

Grace: You loved it? whee!:) Yes, there were some Abel and Cain fics, but they were so short, and I was so sad! Abel and Cain are not really brothers, well, they're genetically engineered, it's very tough to explain their whole existence, but they do make a good pair! This story will be long:)

luffy: My pleasure, dear! Keep on reviewing, pretty please:)

SheDevil85: Mmhmm:) I love their relationship too! You might not believe it, but I do the same thing as you do when Cain steals a kiss from Abel, even if I'm the author, hehe:) What can I say, Cain's seductive and Abel's irresistable?;) A great fic? You're so sweet!

saby: Dearie! Me love you, muahh:) The imagery took quite a long time, and I had to imagine tons of things.. I always need a fresh mind like yours, saby dear. Cain and Abel rocks, seriously serious:) xoxo:D

Thank you once again!


	4. Chapter 4 : Nagashita chishio hana wo sa

Disclaimer: Trinity Blood nor any of its characters belong to me.

* * *

**Silver and Blond**

**Chapter 4 : Nagashita chishio hana wo sakaseru no?**

**_(Does spilled blood cause flowers to bloom?)_**

Cain's body suddenly started to emit a white light. Seth and Lilith both sharply gasped, but Abel found himself backing against the wall. Suddenly, he felt fearful. What if his deduction of nanomachine infusion, which was done on the spur of the moment, turned out wrong? Would they all explode into oblivion? Or would- Abel swallowed slowly, allowing himself to savour the thought­- Cain come back alive?

The light surrounding Cain's body became brighter and brighter, until it blinded the three Crusniks. Nevertheless, Abel squinted open his eyes, ignoring the pain and wanting to see what happened. Cain's body was lifted into the air and his position was realigned. He looked as though he stood on thin air, his golden hair floating about his form. Abel felt a tremendous rush of power from nowhere emerging from around the room and directed itself into Cain's body. Cain was then covered in layers of brightness that Abel could not make out his form anymore.

The surrounding light started to dim, but a new light was emitted from Cain's body. Abel could not believe his eyes as he saw _wings_ unfolding from Cain's back and spreading apart like an angel's. Another pair of wings still obstructed Cain's face, and the brightness of the light became more bearable. Seth and Lilith had removed their hands that shielded their eyes and now stood frozen, transfixed with what was happening before their very eyes. Finally, the pair of folded wings spread apart, and Abel could not help himself from reeling in shock.

It was Cain. However, he was different. His eyes now shone red, just as his lips were coloured in red hue of blood. His once bloodied hair now shone a clean blond and was now brushed away from his face and stood straight and upright. His wings were of pure white feathers, and there were two pairs, one pair higher than the other. In the plain simple robe of white, he looked exactly like an angel that descended from heaven.

Abel found those red eyes staring straight at him, and he realised that he could not look away. Was it truly Cain staring at him? Then, the blood-red lips curved upwards in a smile. Cain then slowly began to lower himself to the ground, his eyes still fixed on Abel's face. The moment Cain's foot touched the ground, his eyes turned back to their original sky-blue, his lips became their pinkish-tinge again, his spiky blond hair fell back into their long lengths and his wings folded themselves to finally disappear. He finally took his eyes off Abel and smiled broadly at them.

"Hello."

/scene shift/

A sharp gasp came from Seth and she covered her mouth almost immediately. Cain turned to face her, and she began to tremble slightly.

"Cain," she whispered disbelievingly. Cain had crouched down to her eye level and smiled at her, as though wanting her to cheer up. He touched the marks on her cheeks that were evident once her tears had dried.

"My lovely little sister," Cain crooned at her. He opened his arms and drew the stiff body of Seth into his arms. "Don't worry," he assured while stroking her hair. "I'll be alive for a _long_ time." Seth inwardly shuddered when Cain said the statement. She felt a slight tinge of worry in her heart. Nevertheless, she dismissed it and tried her best to smile back at him. Cain had risen up and laughed softly. "That's my good girl," he told her and playfully messed up her hair.

Cain walked over to Lilith who stood very still, her head lifted up in their regal pose, though if anyone had observed her closely enough, her clothes were vibrating slightly with the tremors that ran through her. Like Seth, Cain opened his arms and drew Lilith close, not caring if she did not relax in the circle of his arms. He buried his face in her hair and smelt the slight fragrance in it.

"Ahh," he moaned. "Just as sweet as yourself, Lilith," he praised her and released her from his embrace. "Always so concerned, _Lilith-kaasan_," Cain mimicked Seth's voice and laughed at this. When he stepped away from Lilith, Lilith felt as though someone had punched the air out of her. She shared worried glances with Seth, and they both stared at Abel, whose back was against the wall, his expression incredulous as Cain advanced towards him.

At first, Abel started to walk around Cain, taking in the sight of him disbelievingly. They both circled each other, and with each step, Abel felt his head growing lighter and lighter. Now, they stood in opposite positions compared to before. Abel had his back facing towards Seth and Lilith, whereas Cain faced the three of them. Knowing the only way to calm Abel's worries, Cain gave the most enchanting smile he could. Abel felt his heart beating wildly against his chest. It _was _Cain after all. Abel knew that smile. It was the same smile that Cain had given him when they first stepped onto Earth. The unforgettable day's memories flooded into the many chambers of Abel's mind.

"_It's so beautiful!" Cain cried out happily. He threw his arms around the breeze that blew against him and Abel. The wind teased his golden hair and it dappled in the sunlight. Cain looked at the little pink flowers that caressed his bare feet and felt the soft, cool grass under his sole. Yonder from where he stood, a sea roared with the voice of the powerful waves. At first, Cain thought the sea was blue in colour, but when he looked again, it was green. And when he looked at certain angles, it was a mixture of both colours. It was captivating, really. Cain looked at the young man beside him, his beauty giving off an unearthly radiation. Pale, silver hair caressed both wind and the face of the owner. Abel's blue eyes were staring out at the open sea, and his mouth was slightly open in the expression of wonder. Abel turned to face Cain who smiled at him encouragingly._

"_Mesmerising," Abel breathed, pouring all his thoughts into that single word. Cain just gazed at Abel, even when Abel had looked out to the sea again. Perhaps that was why he loved Abel so much. Compared to Cain, Abel was not particularly loquacious. He was not quiet either. He spoke when he deemed it necessary, but his words rang true to the soul. Abel had never lied, and Cain hid a grin, wondering when had he always meant the words he said. _

_But when it came to Abel, Cain's words were as true as Abel's own. He could never tell it other than the way it was when he addressed Abel. Cain had never met another person who could take his breath away like Abel did. It was not just the uncanny, unusual beauty, but Abel had the qualities in him that could make any person fall in love with him. Abel was truthful, brave, impossibly polite and fairly perceptive. In other words, Abel was just perfect. When Abel had enough of staring out at the sea, he saw Cain smiling at him with the most beautiful smile he had ever seen. Cain had approached him slowly, and held out his hand. Impulsively, Abel took it and held it not too firmly nor too gently. _

"_Cain?" Abel found himself asking. Cain stepped to face him in the front. His eyes strayed to the long lock of silver hair that fell over Abel's forehead and resisted an urge to tug on it when he saw the seriousness written in Abel's eyes._

"_Yes?" Cain answered back seriously. Abel looked away for a moment as if hesitating with what he was about to say next. Then, he raised his head and held Cain's gaze bravely._

"_Do you love me?" Abel asked straightforwardly. Cain laughed for a moment, but stopped as soon as he realised that Abel was meaning every word he had said._

"_Of course I do. I will forever," Cain said promisingly, and he meant it truly. Then, Cain looked away and a smile came across his features. "I think you should be asking yourself the same question concerning me," Cain laughingly told Abel, who was baffled at this statement._

"_Why should I be? Of course, without doubt I do!" he said strongly. Cain chuckled softly, not wanting to hurt Abel's feelings. He stroked Abel's cheek while Abel looked on sadly._

"_Do you doubt me, Cain?" Abel asked very softly. It broke Cain's heart to see the pained expression on his beloved's face._

"_Never, Abel. But-" Cain hesitated at this. Somehow, he had a nagging feeling about Abel's love towards him. Cain, of course could never stop loving Abel, it was as if he tried to deny air to his lungs. He just could not bring himself to do so. Although at the present time, Abel devoted all his love to Cain, the small voice at the back of his head never ceased to whisper the terrible probabilities. Perhaps he was just so frightened that a jealous lover would rip Abel from his arms. Abel was, after all, _very _irresistible, Cain reflected to himself as he remembered how he had reacted when he first met Abel. "-it doesn't matter what I said just now!" Cain quickly said and put on a cheerful face when he saw a shadow falling across Abel's face. Abel could not help smiling back at Cain, though his face still looked worried. All of a sudden, Abel had his arms around Cain's neck and his head resting on Cain's shoulder._

"_No matter what you say, I _will_ love you forever, I don't care," Abel said stubbornly. Cain could only smile against Abel's silver hair. Despite his playful nature, Cain meant everything what he had said to Abel, and his worst fear seemed to haunt him relentlessly. However, he hoped on all the hopes in his heart that his beloved's pledge stayed true till the end of time._

"Cain!" Abel cried out joyfully and wrapped Cain in a strong embrace. Cain melted into Abel's form, basking in the warmth of the one he held close to his heart. Seth and Lilith both watched the two men, and both of them did not miss how Cain flashed a grin in their direction, with a smirk on his features. Lilith went very still, but she did not mouth any words. When Abel pulled away from Cain, his eyes roamed Cain's face hungrily. "I- I thought I had lost you," he told Cain earnestly. Cain's smile simply widened, and his fingers came to rest on Abel's face. Then, he touched the dried bloodstains on Abel's face, and touched Abel's locks that were stained with crimson. Cain's face creased in concern.

"Oh dear, did I do this to you?" he asked in a tone of guilt. Abel smiled slightly and shook his head.

"It's all right. It's just a few stains, nothing more," Abel said reassuringly to Cain, who started to smile again. Out of nowhere, Cain looped an arm possessively around Abel's waist and pulled Abel forcefully against him to meet their lips together. The temperature of the air surrounding Seth and Lilith seemed to have experienced a drastic drop. Seth was caught between watching on in shock and turning her head away, whereas Lilith's jaw was clenched.

Yet, both Seth and Lilith did no movement. While kissing Abel passionately, Cain winked at the two females. Seth knew all the time what went on between Cain and Abel, but never before had they kissed, or rather, Cain _kissing_ Abel by the look of it, in front of her openly. Lilith could bear it no longer. She turned her head away and refused to watch the whole scene. When Cain released his hold on Abel, the latter gasped for breath and looked at Cain with a mixture of excitement and disbelief. Cain had never done what he had done just brief moments ago. Then, Cain suddenly collapsed. Abel quickly caught him in his arms, and Cain laughed at his own actions.

"Too much exhilaration, I need to rest," he said dismally, his golden head drooping onto Abel's chest.

"Of course you do," Lilith found herself saying, and tried her best to put on a smile, though it came out visibly forced. "I'll ready the Recuperation Room now," and with that, she left the three of them.

Seth chose to remain behind and stared at Abel. His face looked as though sunlight had shone on him for the first time in his life. When Seth looked at Cain, her body shivered involuntarily. Although she herself knew it was too early to pass on judgement, the Cain in Abel's arms was _not _the Cain she knew. Cain would have never displayed his love for Abel so openly, out of his respect for Lilith and for Seth herself. And the way his eyes glinted predatorily at her was more than unnerving. Seth pitied Lilith, for she could see that Lilith was fighting a mental battle when she took up her responsibility of the one who was in charge of their health.

Seth recalled how Lilith had showed up at the door when she and Abel were just about to infuse Cain with the nanomachines. Then, Seth wondered how Lilith knew that the both of them had returned to the Ark. When Seth turned her head towards Abel and Cain, she almost gave a sigh of relief to see that Cain had closed his eyes and relaxed himself, and Abel stood watching over him. As someone close to Abel, Seth did not wish to see him as distraught as he was when Cain had died. However, Seth could bear it no longer should Cain make another move on Abel once more.

"I'll- I'll go see if the room is ready," she voiced, hoping it sounded carefree enough to convince the two men. Abel smiled back in appreciation, and mouthed his thanks silently to her. Seth grinned back at Abel mainly for his sake before walking out of the room.

* * *

Sorry for being so late in updating, but I've had a seriously hectic schedule for the past week... yes, I'm nearly breathless:P just asking, any gundam fans here? I've just watched the whole of gundam seed, currently hunting for gundam seed destiny, though it's proving to be an impossible task, bwaaa...

And I'd lyk to wish to my reviewers, DOMO ARIGATOU!:D you guys make my day!:)

Kantra: Thank you once again for your praise:)

GoddessofWrath: Super cool name, I like it:) You're luffy? I'm so sorry, I didn't know, hehe;p even I as a reviewer hate cliffies, but I just had to do so, yes, EVIL me;)

jhanna555: I hope this chapter will quench your thirst of suspicion:) But I haven't gotten all the facts laid out, I think the following chapter would resolve it all. I love ABEL! but as the character I favour the most, he has to go through all the hardship.:( once you love a character, that's what happens.. -sighs-

naturally morbid: Frankenstein? intriguing way of putting it, and I'm flattered:) I hope it's not been too much of a drag, though I think my story would most probably be pretty long.. Don't worry, I balance my work and enjoyment, such that i won't get bored of either:)

Issylt: Ray dearest!:) love you and miss you a lot, you know that very well, right sweetie? -puppy eyes- Zazzy is currently recooperating from a fever, the poor dear. be nice to her, ray;) a cliffie makes things cool!

And to my other reviewers, where art thou? -puts on an 'et tu brute' tone-


	5. Chapter 5: Yukanaide, Donna ni Sakendemo

Disclaimer: Trinity Blood nor any of its characters belong to me.

* * *

**Silver and Blond**

**Chapter 5: Yukanaide, Donna ni Sakende mo**

_**(They will not come, but they call out)**_**  
**

Lilith applied the final covers on the bed she had readied for Cain. As soon as she had finished, Lilith sat down on the bed gracefully before she toppled over her wobbly knees. She rested her head on her open palm and scrutinised the unnaturally perfect white wall she faced.

Looking at the smooth surface, she wondered what it felt like to be a wall, unaffected, immobile and cold. Lilith could have been all the three qualities she had named. Somehow, her feelings had always been the things that drove her in life.

She had been the prototype of the Red Mars Project, the first test tube baby. She had been a great success, but her creators were greedy. They wanted more miracles.

Three more test tube babies were genetically created, and Lilith had been charged with looking after them. She loved them very much, namely the handsome and gentle Cain, the mysteriously captivating Abel and the carefree and loving Seth.

Lilith had always worried after Abel, as he was the one who was the most headstrong and rebellious. At times he could burst into a passionate rage, but there were also times when he was alone, pondering his thoughts quietly to himself. But most of the times, he smiled gently, with his blue eyes that sparkled at knowledge and misted over at the perception of the future.

Lilith covered her face with her hands. She should have been more watchful towards Cain, but Cain had always been faultless. The perfect leader, the loving admirer, the understanding friend, Cain had been it all. And he and Abel with their bond of love that was strongly persistent through all the rough years that passed. Lilith had never found anything to complain regarding Cain. She hugged herself tightly, trying to rid herself of the guilt that gnawed-

"Lilith-kaasan?" a small voice came from the door. Lilith looked up to see the small head of Seth peeping inside the room. Her eyes looked large in her small face. Lilith stood up immediately, a small laugh escaping her lips.

"Oh, it's only you, Seth. I'm sorry, I was carried away with my thoughts," Lilith confessed. Seth shook her head in knowing. The young girl hopped into the room as the door slid shut behind her. When Seth said nothing for a few moments, Lilith knew she had a question playing in her mind. Lilith patiently waited and counted the seconds till Seth opened her mouth. It took her ten seconds.

"Lilith, I have to ask you," Seth began, her eyes saying the silent apology for intruding into Lilith's personal matters.

Seth then questioned, "What are you doing here?" Lilith took her time before answering Seth's question and stared at the control screen for a while. Two seats rose from the floor. Seth took hers first, followed by Lilith. Seth fixed her eyes upon Lilith's face, waiting for the latter to answer.

"I saw you," Lilith stated shortly. Seth raised her eyebrow, uncomprehending the short statement. Lilith gazed straight into Seth's eyes. "I was at that hangar."

The words settled into Seth's mind. She let Lilith have a few seconds of silence before continuing her story.

_Lilith stood alone the securely guarded room. Her fingers wandered over the buttons, wandering if she really wanted to turn the screen on to view the battle progress. After giving a moment's thought about it, she decided otherwise. She sighed, echoing her impatience and boredom. She had analysed the last of the broken parts of the Methuselah aircrafts scavenged from the previous battle. _

_Lilith was regarded highly among the Terrans for her extensive knowledge regarding the Lost Technology. She too was the one who strategised their attacks and had the highest position in the Terran army. They called her the Dark Saint, the Black Madonna, the Holy Woman._

_Each time she was inquired on how she had acquired such knowledge Lilith had tried very hard not to smile. She had been taught since the day of her existence regarding Lost Technology. Even up to that day, the very Ark the four Crusniks lived on was the very emblem that became the following example of those who founded the Lost Technology. _

"_Lady Lilith," came a voice from the door. When Lilith turned around, a guard at the door met her eyes bashfully. Lilith could see that he was trying very hard not to stare at her. She tried to look as amiable as possible by giving him a smile. He smiled back nervously._

"_Ah- the Colonel requested to see you," the lad informed. Lilith tilted her head in slight confusion. He must have read the expression on her face, because the guard immediately added right away, "The General is preoccupied in battle. And the Colonel mentioned that it concerns Lost Technology." _

_Lilith was then escorted with heavy security force into an aircraft, though it was nowhere near the standards of Methuselah aircraft, which were engineered with Lost Technology. If Lilith had a choice, she did want to launch herself into battle and combat the rest of the Methuselahs, but at the present moment, she was trying to bond the nations together, to unify them regardless of nationality. _

_The journey was silent and uneventful, and the Colonel simply stared at Lilith, not letting her a moment's privacy, much to Lilith's obvious agitation. She was not used to men who stared at her so openly, for she had spent most of her time with the men who were dressed in pure white coats who treated her nothing more than a specimen. _

_The aircraft brought them to ranges of mountains of limestone, now in odd shades of white and green, marble and grass intermingled, as a result from the explosion of missiles. _

_As the Colonel helped Lilith onto the stony ground, a Terran wearing army clothes marched towards them. He gave them a salute, though when it came to Lilith, he stared at her for a moment longer than the others. Lilith had no choice but to treat it as though it did not matter to her anymore. She realised that the quickest way to acclimatise to any given situation was to act oblivious to the strangeness. _

"_The battle just suddenly died out. The hills were immediately evacuated. It was totally uncalled for, and I thought that _they _were winning over us. When we searched the area, we found an aircraft upon the ranges, shattered. Looked big and well equipped, some high-ranked person must have flown it," relayed the brown clothed Terran to the Colonel. _

_Lilith edged closer with much reluctance to listen to the conversation. "But, should it be fixed, it should be more than enough to be a research specimen." After the Terran had said these words, Lilith knew that was where she came in. There was no doubt that she would be the one to carry out research on it. _

_The Colonel and the Terran soldier then started talking about the battle, and Lilith slowly stepped away from them, wanting to see the moss-cloaked mountains closer. _

"_Lady- lady, please be careful!" warned the Terran soldier from behind her. Lilith looked to him inquiringly. "It's- ah-" he stuttered and then paused, as though wondering how he should phrase his next statement. _

"_There's a trail of blood not four feet from you," he finally told her frankly when the Colonel had glared at him. _

_Lilith looked at the ground from the distance mentioned. True enough, she saw a trail of large blood splats leading further away from where she stood. For some reason, Lilith felt intrigued to discover what the trail led to. She walked carefully and observed the blood trail. _

_Someone had been bleeding heavily, almost to the point of death, she noted. Then, there was a slight imprint of a small body on an area of sharp stones. Lilith winced slightly when she saw that the jagged edges were covered in blood. The blood trail then looked as though two people had been walking side by side, thought their splats were further from each other, showing that there was a possibility that the injured two were running. _

_Lilith followed hurriedly, and came to an area where the blood trail had stopped so suddenly. The sharp-edged stones were marked with large pools of red. There was the stench of blood that hovered unpleasantly in the air. _

_Someone had died there, concluded Lilith. She closed her eyes in a moment's silent, praying for the dead soul. Lilith wondered where the other two had gone and why their trail of blood had vanished. Then, something black caught her eye. Lilith crouched down and saw that it was a black feather. _

"_Oh, don't bother with that, lady. Probably a crow's," hollered the brown-clothed Terran. _

_Nevertheless, Lilith picked it up and examined the structure of the feather. She felt the blood drain from her face, and her fingers that held the feather went cold. It was from no bird. These feathers were different, larger, and wider, almost like Ab-_

"_Sergeant, we've picked up another aircraft!" a new voice resounded. _

_Lilith heard a snort coming from the Terran soldier, whom Lilith recently came to know that he held the rank of a sergeant from the conversation between him and the Colonel. _

"_Sir, I think it belonged to a vampire Commander," the voice spoke again._

"_Eh? Commander?" the Sergeant asked rudely. Lilith felt a tiny little twinge in her heart. She could bear it no longer, and turned to face them. A young Terran boy was seen speaking to the Sergeant._

"_It seems that the control panel still functions," the boy said excitedly. "And the screen's smashed, but I could barely make out the words of Cr- oh, I don't know how to pronounce it, but-"_

"Crusnik_?" Lilith asked loudly enough for the boy to hear her. He looked up at her happily, but then his face turned suspicious. Even the Sergeant and Colonel had stopped in their conversation and fixed their eyes on her. The boy was flabbergasted. He ran his hand quickly through his slick hair._

"_How- how do you-"_

"_What were the numbers displayed after the word 'Crusnik'?" Lilith asked him urgently as she walked over quickly to join the three Terran men, her heart beating faster than ever. _

_The Colonel and Sergeant stared at her strangely, but Lilith paid them no heed. The boy stuttered for a moment, but at the sight of Lilith's firm posture, he formed the words._

"_I- I think it was 01, I think so-" he stammered, but Lilith was faster. _Cain_! She had stepped into the aircraft that had flown her to the mountains, making the Colonel and Sergeant rush after her._

"_Lady Lilith, you've got to stay!" the Colonel exclaimed. "You've got to examine-"_

"_To the United Nations Aerospace Forces Hangar, now!" Lilith commanded the pilot, who nodded quickly at her and readied the aircraft. Lilith turned to look at the Terran men she was about to leave behind._

"_What's the meaning of this?" the Colonel demanded. Lilith took in a deep breath and sighed softly. She looked at the Colonel with regret._

"_It's confidential, Colonel. I hope you understand," she told him, but the Sergeant was not satisfied with her brief words of departure._

"_You can't just leave-" he started, but Lilith had had enough of the bravado displayed by the Terran men._

"No one_ but the members of the Red Mars Project have the authority to tell me what to do at this very moment," Lilith firmly announced. The aircraft then took off._

"Then I saw you at the hangar," told Lilith to Seth. "Just a glimpse of you, but I was not very sure I had the right person at that time. Only when they had confirmed my security ID, they told me that the three of you were already on a space shuttle."

Seth and Lilith were quiet for a while, Seth listening attentively, Lilith painfully remembering what had happened.

"At that time," began Lilith slowly. "I could only picture Cain, Abel and you in my mind. I was so… I just felt aimless. I did not know what really happened, and I only had the trail of blood, Abel's feather and the crashed aircrafts for comfort. I could not make anything out of anything."

Lilith twisted her fingers together, for she had never felt this way. To give Lilith some time to recover from her shock and disbelief, Seth spoke.

"Those missiles were aiming for me, weren't they?" Seth asked Lilith. Lilith slowly shook her head.

"No, the General told me they were intended to blow up the mountains of limestone and rise enough dust to fog the vision of the Methuselah fighter pilots," Lilith explained.

Seth took all this in and digested the information. Lilith felt as though there was a blank in the puzzle she had been trying to complete in her mind.

"Abel saw the missile coming to me," Seth's voice sounded, destroying the thick silence that had been filling the room. Although her voice was still childish, the seriousness that rang within it chilled Lilith. Seth's eyes were empty and blank, simply unreadable. It was as though Seth felt no feelings at that time.

When she spoke again, her voice was cool and steady. "He ejected his seat from the plane and flew over to save me. We only managed to get away by inches from experiencing the full force of the explosion. We were faced down on the ground; therefore, we had no idea about the second missile directed towards our new position. The next thing I knew, I heard Cain's voice and saw him flying in the air and pointing towards a black spot in the sky which grew bigger and bigger. Abel had his arms around me, and Cain picked the both of us up. He threw us onto the ground, but he did not fall together with us."

Here, Seth had to pause. She could feel the stinging warmth of the tears in her eyes. Seth did not look at Lilith, for fear that Lilith's expression would release the tears she was trying so hard to hold back.

"Abel tried to save me, and Cain died to save the both of us," Seth said coldly. Her tone of her words did not match her body language. Seth's body shook with each word she mouthed. Lilith's hand comfortingly curled around Seth's.

"Seth, they both loved you," Lilith said warmly, and stroked Seth's shiny hair. Seth opened her mouth as though to say something, but for some reason, she closed her mouth after a few seconds. She looked at her blood-spattered clothes and gave a forced laugh.

"I- I think I've got to change clothes, Lilith-kaasan, mine's all bloody," Seth tried to joke. Lilith smiled at the young girl, but Seth's eyes did not smile back.

Seth hastily exited the room. The moment the door slid shut, Lilith massaged her temple with her hand. Her tears now streamed freely down her cheeks. She had been holding it all the time through Seth's story, and now she could hold it no longer. Lilith looked up, and her eyes roamed the ceiling.

"Oh, Cain," she whispered to the thin air. "Please don't tell me you've already left this world completely. I know you died for Abel and Seth to live, but they _still_ need you." Lilith recalled with fear as she remembered how _Cain _had been after he had been revived. It was as if they had brought a total stranger back to life.

Lilith finally whispered through her tears, "Please tell me that _you_ are still there, somewhere inside _him_."

* * *

naturally morbid: Yes, our handsome Cain is back to life:) heehee, is he the same? don't worry, you'll see more hints in my next chapter to find the answer to your question;)

jhanna555: i'm so sorry it was short;p but sometimes, i do experience writers block like most authors, but i won't disappoint you, have no fear!:D i wanna read your stories, but i'm not familiar with FVII:S perhaps you could brief me on it:) because i love abel too much, he undergoes the most challenges:(

OmniWing: You're a new reviewer! Irasshaimasen! (Welcome!) Thank you for your wonderful praises, i love you for reviewing! yes, they're very beautiful, they're even on my wallpaper on my comp and on my phone!:D

GoddesofWrath: Arigatou!! you're a dear:)

Issylt: Too long a mail for you to read, rayy darling? Don't worry, i'll send you longer mails next time, haha!;p Even i as the author, feels goosebumps when i read the parts i've written for Cain. silly, isn't it? i don't even believe that i can write him that way;p i checked out your fic, and it set me laughing like crazy! shizune's so jumpy, and genma's so cool;) way to go, babe!

GenesisCrow: You're new, too! Once again, Irasshaimasen (welcome!) I can't seem to thank you enough for your praises, i hope i'll write up to your expectations! yes, Cain is the more possessive of the two, especially in his new state. you're seriously observant, I'm just so amazed at the way you analyse what you have read and create your own hypothesis, which is precise and correct, I commend you for that:) yes, Cain and Abel will fight each other, though it comes later on. Abel is dominant in a more subtle way, though Cain's dominance shows through his actions, which sometimes go over the edge. but Abel is the strong one here, he doesn't give up:) I'm so glad you asked me questions, i get very few questions posed.. if you have any other question for this chappie, feel free to ask me:D THank you so much for reviewing!


	6. Chapter 6: Yume wo Mamoru Tame Tagai wo

Disclaimer: Trinity Blood nor any of its characters belong to me.

* * *

**Silver and Blond**

**Chapter 6: Yume wo Mamoru Tame Tagai wo Kizutsuke**

_**(We hurt each other to protect our dreams)**_

Abel strode down the hallway, his face serious. His hands came up to straighten the collar of his robe, ensuring he had a presentable appearance. He stopped in his tracks when he came to the door of the Recuperation Room and waited for it to slide open. As soon as his DNA was checked, Abel stepped into the room without much further ado. It had been the same routine for a few days, as Cain had slowly regained his strength.

Cain lay on the bed, his eyes closed, his lips in a tiny smile. The white sheets were wrapped around his form, half concealing his naked body, while leaving an irresistible amount of porcelain white skin exposed to the slight chill of the air.

When he heard Abel coming in, Cain lazily opened his eyes and widened his smile at Abel. Abel could not resist smiling back at those blue eyes and meaningful smile. Cain extended his arm towards Abel, indicating for the latter to come closer. Abel came forth and let Cain's arm slip around his neck to draw the silver-haired man in a kiss.

Abel had observantly realised that Cain did it more often than ever since he had been revived. When Seth had left them both alone in the room, Cain had been everything but gentle. Abel could still taste it like the lingering touch of a lover's caress, the experience itself had been surreal, yet it resounded a ring that Abel could not quite place.

However, now in the heat of Cain's fiercely passionate kiss, Abel had dismissed it as a sign of longing and had participated along, though it felt slightly different compared to their previous displays of affection. Cain's voice too had changed slightly, and it had a more singsong manner to it than it once did, and his smile never left his face. Those changes did not bother Abel, though he could not help wandering what had stimulated Cain to undergo those changes during his infusion.

"Abel," Cain purred. His hand came up to tangle his fingers in Abel's silver hair. "Like spun moonlight," Cain remarked with the grace of a poet. Abel could not resist the warmth from rising to his cheeks. He stared away shyly.

"Cain, I-"

"Say my name again, Abel," Cain asked of Abel, his hand going down to stroke Abel's jaw line. Abel felt his insides squirm, but he complied with Cain's wishes.

"Cain," he breathed out slowly. Cain grinned at Abel, and tossed his golden hair back.

"Ah, I feel exalted when you say my name in that manner," Cain praised.

Despite being on the bed, Cain's grip on Abel's shoulders was strong enough to pull Abel down. Abel bit the inside of his cheek, hoping Cain would not want them to go through the same experience as he did the night before, no matter how it took Abel's breath away. Somehow, Abel felt vaguely ill at ease.

Fortunately, the door slid open and Seth came in. Abel was shocked at how Seth looked. Her eyes used to be shining with mischief and love when she rested her gaze upon the both of them, but now they were a dull deep green. Abel saw that she was urging her facial muscles relentlessly to grace a happy expression.

"Cain," she said softly as she looked at him. "I just came to see how you were doing." Seth's hand fingered the doorframe. Abel beckoned for her to come to sit by Cain's side, and Seth took tiny steps towards the blond sprawled lazily on the bed.

"How concerned of you, _darling_," Cain said warmly to her. Abel's heart gave a little leap. Cain had never addressed anyone but him with that word. Abel knew the jealousy that slithered over his heart was wrong, but he could not recall the last time Cain had spoken with honeyed words to almost each person he knew.

"I'll be going now," Abel announced, hoping to exit the room as soon as he could.

"So soon, Abel-niisan?" Seth voiced. Abel turned around, and saw that she was troubled. Cain did not say anything, though his handsome features were placed in an expression that demanded an instant explanation.

"I have to go back to Earth as soon as I can," Abel stated. Seth folded her arms over her chest, and glared at him. Cain merely closed his eyes and lay back, relaxed.

"May I ask the purpose of this sudden departure?" Cain posed his question. Abel stared straight into his eyes the moment Cain lifted his lids to reveal the sky blue orbs to the world.

"To kill those people who killed you, and who tried to kill Seth and I," Abel stated seriously. Seth ran over to him.

"No, you've got it wrong, Abel-niisan! Lilith-kaasan said they were aiming for the mountains, not us. We were simply at the wrong place at the wrong time!" Seth tried to convince Abel, who wavered slightly at her words.

Then, a cold laugh came from Cain's direction, and the hollow sound of it evoked shivers within Seth's lithe form. After the oddly frightening silence that followed, Cain's voice came smoothly, like a distant purr of a satisfied predator.

"How truly noble of you, beloved. Exacting revenge for me," Cain sent a fleeting smile to Abel. "Heroic," he mouthed.

Cain suddenly moved from his bed from his bed to Abel's side in a swift blur of motion. Seth's eyes widened. Before the infusion, only she and Lilith had been able to move at supersonic speed. After being infused, had Cain gained abilities? Seth could only wonder and stare at the scene that followed.

Abel stared open-mouthed at Cain's display. Cain only continued to smile at Abel. With one hand grasping the sheets that revealed his skin more than it covered, Cain used his free arm to grab Abel's chin and hastily pressed his mouth to his, not caring if Seth was just a foot away from them. Cold fingers gripped at Seth's heart.

"You forgot your goodbye kiss," Cain said mischievously, running his fingers through his long blond hair as a laugh escaped his lips. The sound of his laughter echoed eerily in the room the three of them stood in.

**Alliance Aerospace Navy Fortress**

Abel sat down in his room. He checked the reports regarding the previous battle he had encountered, and found that the number of fatalities was negligible. He smirked lightly, thankful that the Methuselahs had a longer lifespan than Terrans, and proved more difficult to kill.

When he had returned to the fortress, people swarmed him, and questions were thrown in his direction like arrows. Abel had made no comment regarding his abrupt leave, and when Cain's situation was inquired, Abel found it harder to hold the words back in his throat. As he sank into his chair with his mind reeling from all that had happened, Abel even found himself denying the events that had taken place.

Cain had been revived. Life after death was a concept that many found most difficult to believe, and Abel had been one of those who opposed it strongly. Yet, Cain had lived. Abel frowned for a moment, recalling how Cain was after his rebirth.

Despite loving Cain most endearingly, Abel was aware of the changes in Cain. It was not like Cain to smile so brightly after such a horrifying event had taken place. Discreetly dodging indirect questions posed by the other Crusniks regarding his _death_, Cain only gave a flash of the plastered smile on his face and sealed his mouth shut.

But Abel could not help but wonder at the rush of feelings Cain felt during his fall, as a concerned lover. _How_ did Cain feel when the bones in his body rocked from the force of the explosion and had been smashed mercilessly by the sharp rocks?

Abel's shoulders shook slightly, repressing the shudder that coursed through him. Such pain was unthinkable, beyond excruciating. And Cain had came awake, smiling for one, and embracing the other Crusniks as though he had left the Ark for a while to embark on a journey and had returned after.

The hologram device on Abel's table gave a startling beep. Abel's thoughts scattered as his attention shifted to the recently formed hologram. The General stared back at Abel, his hazy form doing nothing to mask the accusing gaze directed to Abel.

"Commander Nightlord, you are testify the events of the recent events at the behest of the War Council during the meeting at 1245 hours," he spoke curtly to Abel. His form then blurred and disappeared, as though forbidding Abel from getting a word in edgewise.

Abel held his breath, looking at the empty spot that had occupied the hologram of the General. His anger pulsed through his veins, and a bioelectric bolt zinged out of his open hand to the hologram device.

The result of his anger being vented out was a few haphazard beeps that resounded from the device, marking a disturbance in the system. Fortunately, the bolt Abel sent was not enough to destroy the device's electronic configuration.

"1245 hours," Abel muttered under his breath. He had 20 minutes more till the meeting was held. Just as he was about to escape from the disturbing aura he felt about his room, the hologram device beeped.

Abel turned around and his brow furrowed, guessing the identity of his contact. It took him totally by surprise when the willowy, graceful form of Lilith came out in a hologram. His eyes widened at her, but he was shocked by the sadness in her eyes.

"Why did you leave?" was the first thing that came out of Lilith's mouth. Although Abel knew she was not standing directly in front of him, he somehow felt the proximity of her presence. He could almost imagine the shine on her dark red hair and the soothing feeling he felt when she was always near. Abel could not help looking away.

"They killed him," Abel told her dismissively, and a gasp came from Lilith. She did not say anything until he had braved himself to look at her again.

"It was an accident, Abel," she corrected firmly. Abel felt his anger bubbling up within him again. He slammed his fist onto the table, and watched in satisfaction as Lilith stepped away. The wood beneath fist gave way, revealing deep cracks expressing the intense rage that coursed through him.

"Easy for you to say, isn't it?" he mocked her with his sharply whispered words. "You weren't there holding him in your arms just moments before he died. You weren't the one who saw his body broken upon the stones. No, you were within the safety of the Terran stronghold. It was Seth and I who saw it all, not you!" Abel shouted at her.

Lilith cringed at the sound of his shouting, her heart constricting painfully. Abel drew in a breath, as though it was most difficult to proceed with the next sentence he was about to say. "And you say it was all an _accident_."

"We all were in a war, Abel!" Lilith said back strongly. "Do you think I care less for Cain that I do for Seth and yourself? If I had known that the attack upon the mountains preceded his death, I would have not permitted it to be executed. You can't expect those people who launched the missiles to know where the missiles were bound to land. It was a coordinated move, Cain's death was unintended."

Abel's face had grown red with each word Lilith said. When he could not control the raging fire within him, Abel threw a bolt of bioelectricity, only to see it go through Lilith and strike the wall opposite him. Lilith shook her head.

"When will you finally understand, Abel? When will you finally acknowledge that mistakes happen to just about everyone? Not a single being which draws breath is perfect," Lilith advised patiently.

Abel had his back facing her, but Lilith knew he listened to every word she said. "I hope you'll understand that. And when you do, you'll see the truth that you've learned from your mistakes." Wanting to rid himself of her voice, he stilled himself from gazing upon her face, liking the torment he must have caused her at that moment.

Lilith only gave a gentle sigh, and softly breathed out the last sentence. "I loved him as much as you loved him, regardless of what you think. I've never hated you or Cain, despite the fact that we fight on different sides in the war. Remember that, Abel."

Abel still refused to face Lilith, despite the fact that her words had been etched in his memory. He could not speak to her at that moment, not with the fire burning within him sending waves of fury to all parts of his body. When he had finally felt the cool calm engulf his body, he turned around to her, an apology on his lips. His words died on the spot when he saw that Lilith was no longer there.

**Navy War Council**

Abel stood alone under the scrutiny of all the other officers of the Methuselah army. He saw the vacant place among the Methuselah that had once been filled by him. Abel tried to ignore the distant whispers that reached his ears, and buried his feelings with much effort. Nevertheless, the whispers still drifted across the air to him.

"…_abandoned his post,"_

"_Left with no reason…"_

"_The army was aimless…"_

He clenched his jaw tight as he listened on. As a commander, he was given the privilege of not being questioned while under the constant supervision of the fellow interrogators. However, Abel still felt as though the War Council had taken one step too far.

Abel sent a glare to the empty space where the General was supposed to sit. Had it not been for Cain's so-called _accident _done by the Terrans, Abel would have left the Methuselah army there and then. He was a Crusnik, a unique being that required not the help from any being. He was more than able to survive by himself.

Abel hid a grin as he fantasized ideas of exacting revenge on the General who did not seem to realise that Abel's abilities could do more than threaten his station, but also the General's very life.

"Commander Abel Nightlord!" an authoritative voice boomed. Abel was slightly satisfied that he was allowed the courtesy of his rank. Abel looked up challengingly at the General, who flinched a little under Abel's penetrating blue-eyed gaze. Nevertheless, he carried on, albeit his voice a little shakier than before.

"From the data records we have collected during the battle, you had ejected yourself from the cockpit of your aircraft without deactivating the main control at around 1437 hours. Eyewitnesses claimed that you had _flown_ towards Lady Augusta Vradica, who was in position of her given task. The explosion, which resulted from the missile, had then obstructed the chain of events from plain view. State your reason of your abrupt departure."

Abel took in a deep breath, and when he spoke, he made sure his voice resonated the position he held, and the error made by the War Council in translation of what had occurred during the battle.

"It is true I departed at the said time, and I headed for Lady Augusta Vradica. As you all know, the lady has been one of the staunch supporters of our cause. Her death would have meant a tragic loss to the army. A Terran missile apparently similar to ours had marked the Lady's position as a target, and I saved her from the explosion. Unfortunately, I was unable to rescue the rest of those under her leadership."

The General had been keeping track of the play of expressions on Abel's face, and found none contradicting what he was said. "Most fortunately for you, Commander, the death toll has been low," said he.

The General then continued, "However, since the Commander Cain Nightlord is not around at the present time, though we shall not press further regarding his absence as I have been told that the information is strictly reserved for those involved in the Red Mars Project, you shall have to testify in his place. Precisely at 1439 hours, Commander Cain Nightlord had ejected himself from his cockpit, and alike to you Commander, he too left the main control of the aircraft still active. State your reason for his actions."

Flashes of Cain's broken body appeared in his mind. Abel felt the bolt of bioelectricity being channelled within his fist, where his nails buried themselves deep into his own flesh. These Methuselah evidently held no respect for their commanders, Crusnik or no.

Then again, Abel recalled, they had not seen Cain's severe injuries, henceforth found no reason to be lax with the investigation. With Cain's reasons in his voice, Abel spoke up with a clear voice that betrayed none of the turmoil he was undergoing.

"Commander Cain Nightlord had managed to keep progress of the conditions of Lady Augusta Vradica and I. He had noticed that another Terran missile was directed to the both of us. Commander Cain Nightlord had ejected himself to reach the both of us to save us from suffering fatal injuries from the explosion."

When Abel had mentioned the word _fatal_, his expression had changed slightly. It _had_ been fatal, and Cain had died. Nevertheless, Abel remained silent. It would have done him no good even if he told the truth.

The General looked on at Abel. Several voices suddenly pierced the silence that followed Abel's words.

"Where were you after the explosion?"

"Explain your three-day absence!"

A wave of the General's hand quietened the noisy council. Abel could still feel the burning glares on his back from several officers. The General drew himself up to his full height.

"Whatever that happened after the battle is only privy to the members of the Red Mars Project," echoed the General's voice throughout the council. "Commander Abel Nightlord has testified enough on the puzzling occurrences during the battle. Therefore, he and Commander Cain Nightlord shall resume their duties as normal when they see _fit_ to."

The General's eyes had searched out Abel's blue ones when he had spoken the last sentence. They both knew that Cain would soon return.

* * *

Oh, the rising conflict between Abel and Lilith... Well, it had to come, but i was pretty sad writing it;( somehow, although the anime showed VERY VERY few scenes of her, i've grown to admire Lilith as a mother figure and sister:) but i've got to give you guys an ENORMOUS hug for the 8 reviews i've received from the last chappie, it's the most i've gotten so far, and it really motivates me to write more! love y'all mucho!

jhanna555: You're the first reviewer for the last chappie, dear! Congrats, and i'll give you loadz of hugs and smoochies, you really are a fun girl! It's been so fun emailing you, dearie, you and your intelligence in FFVII fics;) cuz of you, i'm totally drawn in!:D really, if there are any more fics, tell me tell me!:) j'adore!

Kantra: I'm extremely happy you liked it:) I did write a teeny bit of Cain's point of view in the beginning of this chapter, but sorry if it's too short:( I'll give you a hint why I can't write Cain's POV yet, it's warped, and it'll give everything away:P

naturally morbid: I like Lilith, she's the all-good character in my story:) she and Abel are the ones who have to face a lot of conflict within themselves, torn between so many things.. in fact, the title of this chapter is dedicated to this rising conflict between them

GenesisCrow: I've explained everything in my last email to you, wink winkKeep on reading, and you'll know a lot more.. you can be my audience, and tell me if there's anything sticking out of the ordinary in my writing:)

colonel-jade-curtiss: Thank you for your first review!:D hope to hear more of your comments with this chappie, LoL:)

GoddesofWrath: Ahh, you like angst? i like angst too!:) though i can't bear it when it goes over the edge, it hurts a lot;( hope i won't cross the line!

Issylt: Ray darling!!:D i'll give you mail soon, kay? i pity you, you're running out of time more often these days! take care, dear, okay?? and update your shizunexgenma story, or I'll make you, heeehee;P

RoseOfSilence13: Your first time reviewing, yayyy!:D Thank you very much, and yes, the tension's really strong now between the four Crusniks, all of them living their own inner battle.. hope this chappie's to your liking!:)

to the other readers, prettyprettypretty pleasseee review!3


	7. Chapter 7: Hisoka kuroi koyuku shinobi

Disclaimer: Trinity Blood nor any of its characters belong to me

* * *

**Silver and Blond**

**Chapter 7: ****Hisoka kuroi koyuku shinobi yoru**

_**(A black bat secretly creeps in)**_

The events that followed Cain's return were nothing compared to what Abel had gone through. The army officers simply nodded respectfully as Cain passed, and took great care in whispering their suspicions only when they were sure enough that their Commander was not there.

Abel watched Cain carefully, as though fearing that Cain would disappear into thin air as soon as Abel's eyes were not on the person he loved the most. Cain seemed much happier, and his smile rarely vanished from his face. He smiled through everything, regardless of the event being disappointing or threatening.

However, as much Abel wanted to watch over Cain like a jealous lover, he found himself busy most of the time. Ever since he had returned from the Ark, Abel had relentlessly plunged himself into a line of operations that involved mass killing of Terrans, in his lofty quest of avenging Cain's death.

Abel hated blood. But the hatred he felt for Terrans was a strong and consuming monster that devoured his conscience. What with the rush of love he felt each time he looked at Cain, the bloodthirsty spirit within him burned with desire, and he pushed himself further to fulfil his foresworn aim.

The General, together with the rest of the War Council by now had already forgotten the incident of Abel's trial, and now saluted him as one of the true supporters of the aim towards victory of the Methuselahs over the conquest of the Terrans.

Every now and then, Abel would be sending voice inputs over the screen hurriedly. He kept on granting permission after permission to the soldiers to carry out missions of investigation and reconnaissance. And all of this served one goal: the extermination of Terrans in any way they could during the battle.

At the present moment, several techniques of attacks that resulted in a slaughter of majority of Terran armies were tested out and the results were collected and analysed. Abel had just finished confirming one of the many missions presented before him when the screen suddenly went black.

This earned a single silver eyebrow to be raised and a strong punch onto a few of the few buttons on the control panel, making the whole system beep in disrupted coordination.

"My, my, what a display of temper," a silky voice purred.

Abel looked around the room cautiously, expecting to see an intruder jump out of the shadows armed with weapons. His eyes then rested on the dark corner of his room. The breathtakingly blue orbs narrowed as he piercingly gazed into the stalking darkness.

"Not there my dear boy," came the voice again, and Abel had searched out the source of the voice. It came from the blank screen.

"Who are you?" Abel shouted at the darkness, his voice betraying nothing but a fearsome strength that threatened something even more terrible than death, was held within its ringing tones. A chuckle resounded quietly.

"I am someone who knows you, and you are someone who knows me," the voice sang.

Abel tried to identify the voice's owner but he could not quite pace from where had he heard that voice. "I am using a voice modifier, Abel," the speaker addressed him casually. Abel felt a chill climb up his back.

"Why are you talking to me?" Abel inquired with a note of irritancy. He did not want to deal with those who played around with riddles and disguises. Again, a chuckle was heard.

"So professional," said the voice, admiration evident in his tone. Rather than unleash the raging bolt of electricity that tingled in his palm, Abel's nostrils flared as he turned about his heel to exit the room, wishing to rid himself of the unmasked lunatic. The voice then called out again.

"By the way, congratulations on saving Cain from his death."

Abel turned about sharply, his eyes widening at the words the mysterious speaker had uttered.

"How do you know about Cain's death?" Abel's question came out in a voice barely above a whisper. He heard the speaker giving a satisfied sigh.

"We know a lot of things, I assure you. Well, getting down to business, we have a proposition for you," explained the speaker.

At this, Abel turned around to face the blank screen once more, as though he expected to see the mysterious person leering as he captured Abel's attention tactfully with his words. Abel felt the light caress of his silvery strands on his cheek as he whirled around. Although his mind was flooded with a stream of unspoken words, Abel did not open his mouth.

The speaker evidently took his silence for a sign to continue. "We are the Contra Mundi," introduced the speaker. "The Enemy of the World, whose main duty is to purge those who commit evil to this world and renew it with our divine deliverance."

"And how does your _divine deliverance_ relate itself to me?" Abel cynically asked. He did not like the way the speaker kept his identity anonymous, and eerily felt the feeling of a prey when it felt a trap slowly closing in.

"It has _everything_ to do with you, my dear Crusnik," said the speaker seductively.

Abel felt cold fingers slowly closing around his neck.

"But worry not, we are here to assist you, not to rid this world of you," the speaker hastily added as Abel made no move to respond. "We understand that you have been most active in the activities involving the killing of Terrans of late."

Abel slowly nodded. "I have a life to exact revenge on, and a vow to fulfil," he told the speaker, his hands clenching into fists as he felt his heart swell at the thought of Cain being avenged.

"The latter is true for us too, Abel. If you accept this hand we have graciously extended to you, we more than welcome your participation with open arms," the speaker courteously informed.

Abel did not need a second thought. This, he felt, had been the ultimate chance he sought, a bridge to realise the dream that he had harboured for a long time.

"I will join you in your fight," he firmly declared.

There was a contented noise made by the speaker who seemed earnestly delighted at Abel's words.

"Very well, then. Since you have agreed to aide our cause, I have no reservations in revealing to you who I am. I go by the name _Magus_, and I am one who is most close to you," spoke the anonymous person.

Abel could hardly resist from scoffing at the identification. There was not a single word spoken that could give away any information that could leave a trail to enable tracking of the speaker.

Out of curiosity, Abel asked _Magus_, "Are you in the Mars Colonisation Project?"

"No, as who I am now, I am not," replied _Magus _smoothly, his words dancing to the maddening rhythm of puzzling riddles.

Abel's curiosity boiled within him to discover how a normal person could have such detailed knowledge regarding the progress of the Crusniks.

"Nevertheless," continued _Magus_. "Your insistent curiosity amuses me. It's been a while since I've seen one with as much spirit as you do. I am in the United Nations Aerospace Forces, or as the acronym states it as UNASF."

Abel's mind reeled with faces flashing in his cerebral cortex, trying to uncover the mystery behind _Magus_.

"I apologise for dampening your high spirits, but I keep a low profile." Here, _Magus _drew in a wheezed breath.

"It's no use trying to single me out from the many that you know. The Contra Mundi exists over the ages, though we might go by different names, and I shall not always be the one who leads. Keep it in mind as another reminder how futile your efforts will be should you try to identify me in person."

"What must I do to serve the Contra Mundi?" asked Abel, wanting to keep off the identity complication from his thoughts.

He had the life of a loved one to avenge, and Abel was determined to carry out each possible way that brought him closer to his main target.

"Sheer simplicity, most eager one. We shall inform you of the locations of the Terran strongholds where we believe they house their ammunitions and technology. Should we strike the correct location, the Terran army will be weakened in no time when we're done with them," came the voice of _Magus_.

Abel found his task simple enough. "Abel," called _Magus_, drawing his attention. "I shall not contact you at all times. There are many others who make up the Contra Mundi. Your assignments shall be notified to you by the chosen few. _With flames, we shall renew the world_."

Abel listened attentively to the last sentence. It had to be a codename, even the way _Magus _had said it was laced with reverence. "I shall execute my given tasks."

_Magus _laughed with unhidden glee. "And so you shall, Crusnik."

/scene shifts/

Cain watched the retreating figure of Abel, tall and slim and undeniably graceful, exit via the door of his room. When the door had slid back shut, Cain gave a contented moan. Abel's news was enough to brighten the sun upon his life for the many long years to come.

Abel had looked so determined, so persevere, with his blue eyes mirroring the blue flame within him, ready to ignite any that stood in his path. According to Abel's words, the Contra Mundi was ready to strike.

Cain knew of them, for anonymous whispers bearing the fearful name frequently came by his hearing, and rumour had it that the Contra Mundi infiltrated almost everything, including the Mars Colonisation Project and the UNASF. Cain had heard of them, for they had contacted him previously, before his death.

Cain smirked at the irony of the situation that had taken place a few years back, when he had been a self-sacrificing saint. At learning of the bloodlust within the Contra Mundi, Cain had ceased all contact with those linked to the organisation. Now, Cain held no mercy for the Terrans, and was beside himself when he learnt of Abel's boundless fury.

Cain laughed maniacally, loving the soundproof walls that surrounded him. He was at liberty to voice whatever he wished to, and could perform any display of temper within the walls of his room. The blond found it thoroughly amusing that he could ponder so casually about his own death.

For some reason, Cain loved the new _him_ after the revival had been performed. He felt as though he was physically able to perform the most dangerous operation and come out with merely a few scratches.

It felt as though his strength had been multiplied threefold, and the wonder of his new powers was simply miraculous. Nothing brought him more delight, save for Abel, and the thought of roads strewn with decapitated bodies of Terrans.

Cain had never been more satisfied in his life with what his genetically engineered form could do. The golden-haired man then blew on his fingernails, imagining silver strands entangled with his slim, long fingers. Dearest Abel and Seth, so willing to sacrifice their only chance of 100 fusion with their nanomachines just so that _he_- their beloved Cain- could live.

And Abel was so ambitious. Cain always knew that Abel could have done anything possible, even if only a minimal amount of effort was put in. Somehow, Abel was so powerful and strong. Cain felt his nerves tingling at the mention of Abel.

Then again, he remembered Lilith from the few days before he came to the fortress, when Lilith, Seth and him had been on the Ark. A smile formed on Cain's lips, as he imaginarily smelt the strange fragrance of her hair on the air he currently breathed in.

_Lilith had just been staring at the capsule that previously housed the last of the Crusnik nanomachines when the door slid apart and Seth's childish voice broke through the thick fog of silent thoughts that had filled the room during Lilith's presence._

"_Lilith-kaasan!" Seth had cried out tearfully, her arms going around Lilith's waist. Lilith teetered a little, but managed to place the empty capsule into the disposal compartment. _

"_Abel-niisan's gone! He just left a few moments ago," came Seth's voice again. Lilith looked at her, her brown eyes filled with worry. Somehow, she knew what would hit her next. _

_Before Seth could inform her in fearful urgency, Lilith mouthed softly, "He's going to kill the Terrans." Seth's jaw went loose for a moment, but she shut her open mouth and nodded convincingly._

"_What are we to do? I don't want Abel-niisan to be a killer," Seth said worryingly, as she bit on her fingernail in worry. _

_It was one habit of Seth that proved insistently hard to kill. If it had been a normal day with the normal happenings, Lilith would have laughed when she caught sight of Seth worrying a fingernail. However, the grave issue that had reached her ears made her humour vaporise into thin air._

"_I've already contacted him, Seth," said Lilith with a sigh. "He wouldn't listen to me; I never expected him to," Lilith said flatly. _

_She knew Abel all too well, and with a sickening lump forming in her stomach, she was forced to acknowledge the painful fact she had known since the existence of the two boys which shared a close genetic structure. Abel would have always chosen Cain if it had been a choice between Lilith and Cain. _

_Lilith did not really take it to heart, though she felt saddened that she had done all she could to raise Abel and Cain as much as it demanded from her. _

_Lilith stilled in her brisk walk towards the Recuperating Room for a moment, and supported a small fraction of her body weight by placing her open palm on the smooth wall surface. _

"_Oh dear, I do hope you can manage, Lilith," a voice she had known for many years echoed the walls that surrounded her._

_Lilith was filled with dread, and only regretted her actions of leaving for the Recuperating Room alone and left Seth back in the room she previously was. Now, she was alone with Cain, and Lilith could only pray that he did not do more than she very feared he would. _

"_Would you like me to guide you to the Recuperating Room? I'd be more than happy of vacating the bed for you." Cain's voice was low and persuasive, but Lilith knew what hidden meaning lay beneath his sultry tone. _

_When Lilith turned around, Cain was already advancing towards her. His blond bangs fell over his blue eyes, covering the knowing look his eyes held. Before Lilith do so much as take a step back, Cain had closed in on her using his supersonic speed, a gift that had surfaced at the event of his revival. _

_Lilith gave a gasp as Cain leaned closer to her, and found him backing her up against the wall. The cold surface kissed her skin, sending a chill to her nerves. Cain's face and hers were barely inches apart, and Lilith's heartbeat thundered in her chest. It took all of her control not to scream when his long fingers found their way up her throat._

"_I heard you contacted Abel," Cain whispered. Lilith's brown eyes flashed at his blue ones. "Oh yes, you did. Tsk tsk, what have you been up to, Lilith?" asked Cain, as a parent would ask a mischievous child._

"_Only what's best for us," answered Lilith, keeping her voice as steady as possible. At hearing her, Cain threw back his head and laughed. His forefinger came up and touched the side of her face._

"_Are you sure it's the best for _us_, and not for some filthy Terran scum?" Cain's face was leering at her with clear disgust. _

_Out of nowhere, a smile appeared on his face. Lilith's body was chilled at the curved corners of Cain's lips. Cain suddenly moved his face closer to hers, as if about to kiss her on the lips. _

_Lilith quickly moved her face to the side at the last minute, and Cain's lips touched her cheek instead of meeting her lips. He smirked at her. _

"_Frightened, are you? Not too bold as we last were, I see," Cain noted. Lilith's eyes burned with rage. His provoking her had crossed the line. _

_She pushed him away from her firmly, but Cain came back at her in less than a second. "You can't escape from me, Lilith. I'll make sure of that."_

"_Wait till Abel sees you for what you really are, Cain," she said promisingly. Cain's smile vanished, and his fingers locked dangerously around her neck. Lilith was sure he could feel her racing pulse._

"_Are you threatening me, Lilith?" he hissed. "Might I remind you that you're in no position to do so?" _

_With that, Cain lowered his head and touched the exposed skin of her collarbone with his lips. Lilith squirmed under his ministrations, and prayed that the horrifying scene would soon come to a halt. Cain abruptly released her, and Lilith found air flooding into her lungs crushingly. _

_Cain turned around to walk off, but not before shooting her a poisonously sweet smile. _

"_Keep off what belongs to me, Lilith," he called out. "Or we'll have to go through our little session again, but it'll be much more prolonged with drastic effects. That I promise you."_

Cain shivered in pleasure, reliving the experience. It had been his first time with a woman, and Lilith was no ordinary woman. Compared to other Methuselahs and Terrans, Lilith stood out like a diamond in the rough. No other woman had her regal form, her unique beauty or her noticeable presence.

But Cain sought Lilith out as one might have sought out the rain when there was too much of sun. It was a temporary relief, an escapade to be used at times. Lilith was the key to many doors that led to dreams Cain could only imagine. She was a tool that could prove most beneficial at selected occasions.

Cain frowned for a moment, light creases marring the impossible perfection of his sculptured features. At the present moment, Lilith was proving to be a bother. She stood in the way of him and Abel.

Cain stared at the spot where Abel had sat. He could almost imagine Abel sitting there, legs crossed over, a hand fingering his mouth while he contemplated, and his beautiful eyes lost in thought.

Yes, thought Cain. Abel was the one person he wanted to hold close to his form forever. Cain wanted to weave the threads of time around him and his silvery-mirrored image. Yet, Lilith was the obstacle. Cain picked up a glass he had used recently. He thought of Lilith, putting out her hands to fend him off Abel.

At once, the glass in his hand exploded into a thousand shards. The cut on Cain's hands healed even before he could glance at the cut once he felt the slightest tinge of pain.

"Lilith," he grated out contemptuously to the still air around him. "You will _never_ have Abel."

* * *

Wowwweeee! 9 reviews for the last chapter, yeayyy!:D I seriously love u guys, you rock, you rock, you rock!;) Thank you so much, I'll keep on writing, that I will!

jhanna555: Darling, you're the first reviewer again!:D i marvel at your alertness! And I can't read SephXCloud fics as fast as you do, I'm still struggling with the first batch, LoL;p Though I think this time Abel will be the one who goes on a rampage..ooo

SheDevil85: Thank you very much for pointing it out to me, it was all the anime's fault, they showed the wrong stuff! A lovely TB fan is now explaining the whole plot to me, and though my story doesn't follow the novel, I'd love to know. But I prefer to think of Lilith as a sister to Cain and Abel (they're as grown up as she is!) and as a mother to Seth (she's so childish;p)

Kantra: You guessed right, dear! Abel's very passionate, especially when it comes to his beloved CAin.. Oh, the things love makes people do;p soon, you'll see a conflict between Seth and Abel, oops, I leaked!

Issylt: I do read AND reply your mail darling, though you're very busy now it seems:S it's okay luvie, I love ya all the same! YEs, my characters are stuck in a whole pool of conflict, poor them! Kissing scenes?? look who's being naughty, heehee;p i'll put them when i wanna dearie dear!

naturally morbid: Cain's warped up now, and i wanted to make him almost a 180 degrees different from the Cain we used to know:) Abel's been very close to Lilith, and it pains him very much when he has to choose between CAin and Lilith, since they've been together for so long.. I'm so pleased you like the conflicts, though they sting!:D

RoseOfSilence13: Cain's handsome, even I adore him, though he sure gives me the creeps at times:S I'm sorry I didn't put much of Seth in this chapter, though she's coming up soon, I miss her loveable nature lotz!:D

GenesisCrow: Hi dear! Don't worry, I wait for your review each time, i positively adore you:) How about this, I'll send you an email each time I update since 's not doing such a good job of informing you:( I love Abel too, yeay!! This is the best chappie? A huge hug for you! I write longer chapters, since you guys are so supportive of me!:D SEth does shift to Lilith's side, since she looks up to Lilith most of the times, and she loves Lilith very much:) Ahh, blond actually is for guys, and blonde's for girls, that's what my friend told me i believe it's the same thing for brunetts perhaps;)

nilfheim: Thank you very much!:D Though that part comes later on, there's a whole string of events i'll have to resolve first;p Abel and Cain fights are cool, though it hurts to see them fighting:(

GoddesOfWrath: Calm down, dear:) I'm so sorry about school taking so much of your time, it used to take my time away too:( Take your time in reviewing, I won't push:D I'll make the story as smooth as possible, and give it adequate character development;)

Love ya all a lot! muaxxx!:D


	8. Chapter 8: Samishisa ni yogoreta ude de

**A/N: Yayy, a new chapter! But I need to tell you all an important thing. Recently, I came into contact with Durga, any one knows her? Thanks to her, I knew the real story of Trinity Blood based on the novels and manga, and nothing like the anime has pictured. I felt so bad, because I've been writing based on the anime since I've never read the novel/manga, and the anime is WRONG, it's just so completely different. As a loyal TB fan, I did changes to make the characters as they are in the novel/manga, (except Abel cuz I like him sweet! In the novel he was so :( )and only change a few events (if not Abel would never end up with Cain, nooo!:O)**

**Yup, that's all I wanted to say, and I've edited all the chapters.**

Disclaimer: Trinity Blood nor any of its characters belong to me.

* * *

**Silver and Blond**

**Chapter 8: Samishisa ni yogore ta ude de daita**

**(We were embraced in unclean, impure arms)**

**Alliance Aerospace Navy Fortress**

Abel repressed a sigh as he walked down the empty hallways, wishing to hear a familiar voice or see a comforting smile flash at him. The chill of the night air due his recent visit to the Terran citadel was still hovering uncomfortably over his skin, and the faint crumbling sound of the building falling apart to fragments of constructing material still resounded gently in his ears.

Although Abel had killed many on the battlefield, he was undeniably unaccustomed to killing when he could not see the person he would grant the wish of death to.

When the rubble of the building lay by his feet, Abel had stared at it blankly, and turned away when he felt a wave of nausea wash over him.

Something had not felt right, he was sure of it, but _Magus_' voice seemed to soothe the torrents of worry that coursed through his body. With _Magus_, everything seemed to be a necessity for the best.

Nothing was impromptu, and each executed task fitted itself into a gaping hole in the puzzle Abel could only imagine he was submerged in.

Abel was rudely jolted out of his thoughts when someone roughly banged into his left shoulder and continued to walk past him, not even pausing to breathe out a light apology.

The blazing blue of Abel's eyes trailed the unidentified person until he was out of sight. Abel could only wish that his stare was as immense as the anger welling inside him, and wanted nothing more than to burn an excruciatingly large hole in the person's head.

However, the recent occurrence was nothing out of the ordinary for Abel. Lately, ever since his testimony and Cain's return, people had started to treat him as though he was the main cause of their defeat in the previous battle.

Abel wanted to scream out, to lash his reasons at the War Council's face, and demand an explanation as to why he was treated so when the air formation had broken apart even before he had reached Seth on the mountain range.

But nobody wanted to give Abel face, and he felt his own guilt eating away at him bit by bit. His mind was filled with images of Cain flashing him a smile over his shoulder which made Abel's heart beat twice faster than it normally did.

However, the images then blurred and Lilith's melancholic expression would rise from the unwanted depths, together with Seth's tear-stained face and eyes that betrayed suffering and lonesomeness.

Before he knew it, Abel found himself standing before the door that led to Seth's laboratory. He stared at the door as though his eyes could pierce through the thick, impenetrable material and see what Seth was doing.

As much as Abel wanted to hate Seth for being promoted whereas he was treated worse than the dirt under someone's sole, Abel could not will himself to do so.

Heaving a heavy sigh, he looked up at the retina scanner located above him and allowed the machine to process his application before allowing him to enter.

When Abel entered the room, he could hardly mask his shock as he looked about. Expecting clean laboratory utensils and a sterile environment, the sight that met his eyes were as different as hell was from the heavens.

Broken syringes, cracked test tubes and bloodied cotton swabs littered the floor. There was the unmistakable metallic odour of blood hovering hauntingly in the air.

When the smell reached Abel's nose, he was immediately reminded of his mission, and how the same smell had taunted him for days, before fading away.

Now, the smell was more overpowering than ever, and the flashbacks of his previous killings now invaded the privacy of his mind.

Abel's eyes widened when he saw several surgical tables complete with leather restraints splattered with the crimson hue of blood all over. The tables were empty but Abel saw the light reflected off the blood droplets, indicating that the spillage was recent.

Abel's heart immediately constricted with worry for Seth, but he found himself lingering on the possibility that there was more to his little sister than what met his eye.

Regardless of her childish innocence and cheerful demeanour, Seth was still the same scientist Abel had lived and travelled with since their existence and during their journey to Mars.

She had been the one to discover the Bacillus virus and Crusnik nanomachines in the Ark, and she had been responsible in the infusion, causing the existence of Methuselahs and Crusniks.

The pretty little girl with a bright smile had been a façade, all to cover up the dangerous truth of her doings.

Abel heard the faint sound of someone weeping, and his worry welled up once more in his heart.

"Seth?" he called out, but there was no reply. However, the sound of weeping did not cease, and Abel stepped into the gory mess of the room, resisting an urge to throw up at the smell of Terran blood staining the floor.

He saw that even the monitors were half covered with huge splatters of blood, and Abel wondered what massacre had occurred in the place he stood in, and why the Navy seemed blissfully unaware of it.

As he came closer and closer to the source of the sound, the smell of Terran blood was overpowered by another smell, a smell that made Abel's Crusnik senses invade his body and heighten a thirst so powerful and terrible that Abel took a step back.

However, the sound only increased in its sadness, as a wail was heard. Unable to keep the smell of Methuselah blood out of his nostrils, Abel psyched his mind to forget about his curse being a Crusnik and stepped over the puddles of blood and neared the huddled figure in the shadows.

When the sound of his footsteps were louder than that of the crying, the figure untangled itself and Abel found himself gazing into the deep green of Seth's tortured eyes.

Rushing immediately to her side, Abel saw that her face was stained with blood, and the areas near her mouth were wet with the unmistakable redness of blood. The worse part of it, as Abel realised, was that the blood that clung to her skin and stained the pure whiteness of her lab coat was both Methuselah and Terran blood.

Her face was gaunt with hollowed cheeks and her eyes were darkly lined, showing signs of prolonged hunger and an obvious lack of good sleep. When Abel stepped closer to her, the smell of blood and a sickening stench of rotting flesh overcame him.

At seeing him, Seth scrambled away and shook her head at him fiercely. A red gleam came into her eyes and she slashed her long nails through the air warningly.

"Go away, Abel-niisan! Get away from me!" she screamed. When Abel shook his head gently at her and reached out his hand, she bared her teeth at him. When he saw her elongated and sharpened canines, Abel realised that she had partially activated her nanomachines.

"Don't touch me!" she cried, slapping his hand away.

"Seth!" Abel cried out, trying to emancipate her from her dazed and frenzied state. Dismissing her threats, he leaned forward and embraced her in his arms.

At first, Seth shrieked and struggled to get away, but when Abel tightened his grip on her indicating that there was no possibility of her getting loose, she broke down.

Her sobs and screams pierced the room, and for the hundredth time, Abel was thankful that the rooms in the Navy were soundproof.

"He came," she whispered into his hair.

When Seth's lips touched the glistening silver of Abel's hair, the blood stained the impossible pureness red. Abel then pulled away and gazed at Seth. He took in the streaks of tears running down her cheeks, and the tortured sorrow in her eyes.

Blood was simply all over her, and Abel had a hard time resisting from licking off the red droplets that lingered on her skin and lips.

"Where in the bloody hell were you?" Seth screamed at him when he gazed at her questioningly.

"Where have you been? I don't see you anymore, no one wants to see me anymore!" Seth wiped away a tear that trickled down her cheek before flashing her bloodshot eyes at him.

"Lilith doesn't want to talk to me now, she calls me a monster with no heart! Just because I think that the Terrans deserve to be lower than the Methuselahs, I'm labelled a monster. But I'm a scientist, god damn it! I've seen how powerful we are over those weaklings, not just in physical, but our genetic structure is magnificent, Abel! I've seen my own DNA structure under the microscope, we are _gods_."

When Seth said those words, Abel felt as though someone had doused him with cold water. This was the Seth who was hidden behind the giggles and sweet smiles. This was the scientist and mastermind behind the existence of the Methuselahs and Crusniks.

The same young girl who was his little sister was the same racist and evolutionist crouched before him, bathed in blood, her smile tainted by the redness that covered her pearly teeth.

"And you aren't helping either," Seth hissed at him. "Just days before, when you were on one of your little missions- don't think I don't know about them, Abel- he came into this room. 'Why are we still being defeated?' he asked. 'Lilith is not our helpless darling anymore for she's changed. Black Madonna, that's her name now. The Terrans are winning, and you're just sitting here in the safety of the laboratory?'

"I had no one to protect me at that time, you were not here, the officers were at battle, I had no idea what Cain was doing in my laboratory. And he brought with him two Methuselahs, two Terrans. A woman and man respectively of both races. And he told me, 'If I don't see a scientific finding from you to help us win against the Terrans in a week, I'll kill you, _Seth-chan_.'

"And so I did conduct a research, on how to make the Methuselahs immune to silver and to the sunlight. But it was ugly. My mind was filled with screams day after day, and I could have no rest being locked up inside here, for he'd come at the end of the day, just to check on me."

Abel found it difficult even to breathe when Seth had been telling her story. At that moment, all the pain and anguish and shame that shone in her eyes now carried themselves over into his blue orbs, translating her myriad of feelings into a dark and ugly reality. But Seth had not finished. She suddenly gripped Abel's arm painfully tight and started to convulse.

Much to Abel's shock and horror, a half-eaten finger dropped from her open mouth onto the ground together with a gushing river of blood. As Seth gave a painful cry, fresh new tears rolled down her cheeks. She looked at Abel accusingly, as though he was the cause of all her suffering.

"I managed to find a cure," she choked out. "But it was only temporary. He did not complain, though. As though I had told him I won a prize, he kissed me," Seth breathed, fingering her lips, her eyes full of sorrow.

"The Methuselahs that he had given me were half-dead, but the Terrans only had a few more seconds to live. I wanted to kill them, the four them, to give them an easy passage to death, but Cain did not let me! He asked me, 'What do vampires eat?' and I knew all too clear was what coming.

"The next thing I knew, he had taken out a gun and fired at the Methuselahs. But it was no ordinary gun, and those were no ordinary bullets." Here, Seth took a deep breath, and Abel was lost in the grappling truth she held in her green eyes.

"Within seconds, the Methuselahs were feasting upon the Terrans. They tore apart limb by limb, gorged on their blood, and laughed at their screams. I still remember how the Terrans looked like. The woman was so pretty, she had red hair and blue eyes, and- and the man had eyes just like mine. And then, when the terrible was all done, Cain turned to face me.

"'Darling,' he called, 'I have gotten rid of the humans for you, but I can't spare a moment longer. I trust you know what to do with these two.' He looked at the Methuselahs, barely breathing, perhaps from their feast, or perhaps from my experiments, I think it was both. And he locked me in the room with those two Methuselahs, their sanity clouded by the effects of the drugs in the bullets.

"I was only set free, after I-" Seth paused, drawing in a breath painfully, her intercoastal muscles screaming at her as she did so. Abel comfortingly held her hand, trying his best to offer her the support long denied. "-after I did it," Seth completed.

"But that was after two days when he finally opened the door, and he was smiling at me. I couldn't move for the only thing I saw was the look in their eyes when they were about to attack me. I was their _food_…"

Seth could speak no longer and her screams were more piercing and the terrible echo wrenched Abel's heart. Holding her close, he could only feel his own tears coming out. What suffering Seth had undergone, he could only imagine.

He hugged the young girl tightly, and heard Seth whispering over and over again, "I had no choice, I was their food, I was going to die, and I had no choice."

Then, Seth's body began to convulse once more, and torn pieces of flesh mingled with blood and hair flooded out from her mouth. Abel could only watch in horror as the mess was strewn by his side, with Seth bending over, her sobs deep and racking, her eyes pleading for salvation. She then gripped his shoulders, and cried out at him.

"P- please, 'Nii-san, h-help me…" she said as more blood trickled from the corners of her mouth. "_Help me_!" she begged him, her scream piercing through his soul.

Abel did the only thing he could do. Casting away his repulsion and desperate to help the young woman trapped in the body of a little girl, he brought Seth's mouth to his and parted his lips.

His Crusnik nanomachines immediately came alive as the same mess he had looked away with disgust now came flooding into his mouth, and down his throat.

As he tasted the blood on his tongue, along with it came the immense feeling of guilt, helplessness and betrayal that Seth had struggled to contain.

* * *

**A/N: OMG, Seth and Abel are cannibals! But not really, they didn't feed on Crusniks... but it's still bad:S**

GenesisCrow: OMEDETO, you're the first reviewer!:) Cain's attitude is chilling, but it's strangely seductive, in a way;) Nope, Magus isn't Isaak, this happened more than 900 years ago, so Isaak's not there yet:P later on, he'll come.

naturally morbid: You've been a loyal reviewer, here's a cookie!:D thank you very much for your praise! Cain's infusion sort of amplifies all his feelings, that explains him being all not right:( Abel's super cool in the CM, but he's good insideXD

jhanna555: To the girl in Boston, how are ya dear?:) Lovely of you to review on your holiday, hope you're having a blast;p We both love evil guys, but good and evil are a perfect match, aren't they? SephyCloud, CainAbel:D whipped creamm? nyummy!

soupcan: Arigatou gozaimasu!:D Actually,the clumsy blurr Abel in the anime was all an act:( He's actually VERY serious inside, but in my story, I made him sweeter, not the IWANNAKILLSOMEBODY' person. Hmm, the Crusniks all have different facades:S

RoseOfSilence13: -giggles- loopy? Yes, he is, you've got a cute way of putting it:P Though this chapter isn't that progressive, it highlights on Cain's scary insanity..

albeitalways: you changed your name, LoL, but this name is sweet, I like it!:D Cain's like that, always smiling, but a thousand and one ugly things are running through his mind:S

Issylt: Ray, I just knew that my whole story is WRONG!! So i've got to redo everything, wwaaaaa!!;( but I'm working on it, and I AM busy, okay darling? I'm not just sitting around, I've got to apply for college, and it's TOUGH:( Cain's sexy n' evil!:D

Zazzy: Oh no, it's Renge!! Duck for coverrr!:P Sayang, it's been such a long time since you reviewed, love ya dearrr! Your darling Cain is really BAD here, making poor Seth and Abel worked up:P thanks for the CDs, zazzy, daisuki na ni hontou!:)


	9. Chapter 9: Kono nukumori wa doko e yuku

Disclaimer: Trinity Blood nor any of its characters belong to me.

* * *

**Silver and Blond**

**Chapter 9: Kono nukumori wa doko e yuku no?**

**(Where is this warmth going?)**

**Terran Citadel**

Abel's eyes scrutinised the tall buildings about him. The architecture was strange, too angular and straight-lined for his taste. During his first time venturing into a Terran environment, Abel was shocked when he discovered that it varied very slightly from the environment Methuselahs lived in. Of course, Abel had reminded himself, Methuselah _were_ Terrans a long time ago, before the virus had been injected into their blood and caused changes in their genetic makeup.

Surrounded by objects Terrans lived by, Abel could not help repressing the curiosity that arose in him slightly when he wondered how they passed time in their short lives. Abel shook his head hurriedly, wanting to clear his thoughts and focus on the sole aim of his coming to the citadel.

The Contra Mundi had resurfaced just a few days after they had mysteriously contacted him, though his informant was not _Magus_, but another of the secret organisation. Details had been kept short and accurate. Abel's task was simple, to place an explosive in one of the buildings branded to be one of the Terran strongholds. Abel did not mind being given any assignment, just as long as Cain's death was not in vain.

The weight of the world seemed to increase day by day with each life that Abel robbed on the battlefield and, he suspected, the lives of the Terrans he stole during the missions assigned to him by the Contra Mundi. Abel could no longer seek Cain's company since Cain had been promoted to becoming a Major since his return. And, Abel reminded himself bitterly, for what Cain had done to Seth.

The silver-haired man swallowed his saliva painfully when the familiar ache in his heart increased in intensity as he felt like a discarded piece of waste. The world seemed to judge him without hearing out what he had to say.

To the majority in the army, Abel was an irresponsible officer who abandoned his post without giving a valid reason and hid behind his involvement in the Red Mars Project to avoid further inquiry or deny the accusations flung at him. No one seemed to even hint the slightest possibility that Abel was not at all as others assumed him to be. None stood up in his defence, not even Cain or Seth.

For Cain, Abel could understand, for Cain was in a precarious position just as he was. Should his blond lover open his mouth to reveal more than necessary, the Council would then paint Cain as Abel's accomplice, and a tyrant to the Navy.

Ever since he had been the Contra Mundi's prized assassin, Abel barely had enough time for himself and for others. And Cain was no less busy than he was. Abel desperately wanted to talk to Cain, or Seth or even Lilith. He wanted to feel loved and believed.

Going to Cain was hardly a comforting thought, for Cain seemed to be slipping away from the gentle, caring person Abel once knew he was. True enough, his handsomeness and charm was undiminished, but Abel felt as though his words and thoughts were now pushed away by Cain.

When he entered Cain's room to talk, the latter would be either too busy to talk to Abel, or Cain would rush at him, push Abel against a wall and tear away his clothing so fiercely that at Abel found himself dreading to even step into Cain's room when he had to. Then, the aftermath would leave Abel's mind too fogged to process any information.

There were no occasions when Abel could speak properly to Cain, without being under the scrutiny of the officers. And that had been before Abel had heard the disgustingly terrible news from Seth. Now, Abel could hardly bring himself to look at Cain in the eye without flinching once.

And Seth. Abel could scarcely remember the last time he had talked to her. He had only seen Seth once or twice, for she now spent days in her laboratory and hardly participated in any of the special missions, abandoning her duties as an assassin. Fortunately, the War Council had seen this as a positive change and promoted her to the rank of a Lieutenant and put in charge of the Science Department, following her success in executing her mission in the previous battle.

Unable to stop himself, Abel wondered if the officers had realised _who _it was who saved Seth. But out of love for his younger sister, Abel had remained silent and faced the discrimination aimed at him while Seth and Cain had mounted their new ranks.

Abel had half-expected Seth to be happy, but when he saw her days before her day of terror, she had emerged out of the laboratory; she looked as though she had been thoroughly upset and her eyes were red from crying. Twice, Abel had seen in that deplorable state, but being in a state no better than hers, he refrained from comforting her. Painfully acknowledging the obvious fact, Abel knew that the four of them were growing apart.

A gust of cold wind came rushing at Abel, causing his hair to fly about his face in streaks of silver. Abel found himself looking upwards to the full moon that rose above him. Such serenity was displayed on a night that would end with the revelation of death by the bright sunlight of day. Abel finally came to stand in front of the building he had been directed to.

There was no heavy movement about the building, though occasionally, Abel could hear the faintest sound of muffled voices. He recalled the strange sleeping habits of Terrans. Apparently, they found it a necessity to sleep during the night, much to Abel's confusion. However, Abel was glad that the Contra Mundi had sent him on an assignment during the period of Terran inactivity. It made his execution of the assignment all the more easy.

Abel made his way to the basement with the help of a creaking transport compartment. Abel looked at the walls spotted in rust with much distaste, haughtily comparing it to Methuselah advanced innovation of transport technology. Abel walked across the corridor easily without encountering a single soul. He raised an eyebrow at the lax security of the Terrans.

They apparently proved to be so blissfully trusting of any situation. What perception of Armageddon they had in mind was definitely far from the truth, thought Abel. With skilled grace, Abel attached the tiny cylinders to the thick pillars, which bore the foundation of the building. After thoroughly ensuring that all the used and unused equipment were placed in their rightful positions, Abel exited the building.

"The explosives are in place," he said to the contacting device attached to his left ear.

"Good." This time the voice, which echoed in his ears, was _Magus_. "Surprised it's me?" asked the person in rich tones. "I wanted to check on how you were doing."

"There was no resistance," Abel informed. _Magus_ laughed out unashamedly.

"See how ignorant these idiots can be?" asked he. Abel could only agree wholeheartedly.

When _Magus _hadissued the command, Abel took out the tiny device that had a single button on the smooth black surface. Abel looked up at the dark building, wondering for a second what was inside it that the Contra Mundi wished so adamantly to destroy. However, knowing that it was not his place to question their motives, Abel set his finger on the head of the button.

As Abel was about to press the button that set off the explosives, Lilith's face suddenly drifted into his mind. Abel reeled back, as though he had been slapped. Then, steeling himself, he pressed the button down forcefully, as though proving Lilith wrong about himself.

/scene shifts/

Abel had lost count of the number of assignments he had been given; therefore his present activity was nothing out of the ordinary. Abel lowered his scythe made of crystallised blood to the ground. He was certain his Crusnik senses relayed to him the right information. Not a single Terran breathed within the building he stood out.

Abel was surrounded by dismembered bodies, irregularly shaped pools of blood and heads with eyes that stared vacantly up at the ceiling. Although Abel could not see it all, he felt the chill of a killing enfolding his form. Abel did not even cringe, but stepped over the bodies cautiously, taking great care not to add more bloodstains to his white spacesuit more than it already bore.

He had seen the bloody mess several times, and it no longer came as a shock to him. The Contra Mundi now gave him assignments that involved him killing the Terrans directly, since explosions yielded several survivors that could have threatened the status of the Enemy of the World. At times, Abel carried out stealth operations. These operations varied from the ones he was normally assigned to complete.

Stealth operations involved a quick killing in darkness. When Abel had asked _Magus _regarding the need of no light source, _Magus_ had simply given his intimidating chuckle and said that the operation could be carried out flawlessly when Abel did not see the face of the victims. When _Magus _had said this, Abel had felt slightly insulted. He had proven himself time and again to be heartless killer and carried out most of his operations without a trace of hesitancy shown.

However, Abel had obeyed the leader of the Contra Mundi. As a Commander, Abel had been accustomed to being shown unwavering loyalty by his underlings, and he was sure that _Magus_ expected the same of him.

Being one of the Contra Mundi did have its advantages. If _Magus_ had been correct, Abel held a very high position among those who served the Contra Mundi, despite him joining in only a few years back. Abel was labelled as one of the proficient killers, and his high rank in the army had enabled access to several military movements of the Terran army.

Abel found himself able to activate dangerous killing machines that far surpassed those in the army by merely identifying himself, and the machines followed his orders. Abel used this opportunity during battle, and to his satisfaction, found that the General was impressed by his prowess at weakening the Terrans' defence. The Contra Mundi had installed numerous programs in most software, and Abel was at liberty to use any of the many they controlled.

A few days ago, Seth had questioned Abel when he had gained information regarding the battle strategy before War Council meeting was even held.

"_Haven't you realised it?" Seth asked him, not even bothering to tell him what she referred to. Abel paused for a moment, running over Cain's behaviour for the past few days. _

"_I think Cain's gone insane," deadpanned Seth. It took Abel completely off guard and he glared at the little girl angrily._

"No_, he's not," stated Abel a little too harshly to the frightened Seth who tried to release herself from his vice-like grip on her shoulders. "I do agree with you that Cain has changed a little, but nowhere is he close to insanity!" Seth looked away at this, and Abel shook her by the shoulders hard, trying to gain her attention. _

"_What has Lilith been saying to you?" he demanded. _

"_Nothing!" Seth cried out defensively. "It's not Lilith-kaasan who made me think Cain's insane, but I've seen it for myself. Look what he's done to _me_, Abel, you saw what happened to me, you saw what he made me do!" she whispered fiercely, her green eyes flashing with the remembrance of the cannibal happenings that took place a few days back, when Abel had discovered the dirty secret that lay within her laboratory._

"_Last time, Cain would never have dared to kiss you in front of Lilith-kaasan, but now he does it as though he cares not for the world, he even does it _here_! And during battles where he used to care about casualties, he simply orders missiles to be launched continuously, even though it risks the life of the Methuselah. His favourite reply is 'As long as are able we kill the Terrans, any sacrifice is a necessity'. If that's not insanity, then I don't know what is. And forcing me to eat Methuselahs," she snorted. "Well, do I need to relay my experience all over again?"_

_Abel stilled at her statements, and tried to verify the truth of what Seth had said. During the battle, Abel had not realised Cain's strange behaviour, as his thoughts were preoccupied most of the time with the assignments given to him by the Contra Mundi. Abel suddenly wanted to prove Seth wrong and that Cain was not insane._

"_You're wrong, Cain is still the same!" Abel cried out at her. "He still loves-" Abel suddenly felt his words halt in their flow. When was the last time when Cain had told Abel that he loved the latter? Abel frantically searched his mind and he realised that Cain had not said it for a long time. True enough, he still called Abel _beloved_ and _my love_, but the phrase 'I love you' had not been mouthed since his death- _

_Abel could not bear to listen to Seth anymore. His mind felt confused by the statements she made. Abel hastily stepped away from Seth, not wanting to hear Lilith's words echoed in her voice._

"_Abel-niisan!" Seth called out to him, but Abel chose to ignore her._

Abel sighed at the thought of it, and realised that he had not been indulging himself in his thoughts for a long time. He accidentally kicked something that felt soft, and Abel hoped it was not what he thought it was. He was sure the metallic smell now stuck to his clothes and hair. Abel's nose reeked of the smell of blood and he hoped that his senses were correct, and that he was coming closer to the exit.

The lights suddenly flashed on, and Abel heard a piercing scream. His eyes automatically fell upon the person who had screamed. It was a young girl, Terran undoubtedly, Abel noted. She was looking at the floor. Just as Abel was about to look at what turned her so pale, a buzzing sound vibrated his ossicles and caught Abel's attention.

"_Crusnik, all eyewitnesses must be executed immediately,"_ came the voice at his ear. Abel lifted his scythe, but not before his eyes came upon what lay on the floor. Abel was not prepared for it, and he reeled back, his breath coming in ragged, short gasps.

Never before had he seen such a heartless massacre of children. Younger than Seth in appearance, or possibly much younger, their limbs and heads were strewn all over the floor. Abel froze in his movements, taking in the seriousness of what he had done. No wonder it had been a stealth operation, thought he. The Contra Mundi did not wish for him to see the young children, possibly asleep judging by the bloodied feathers from the pillows that floated about, in order for him to execute the mission as quickly as possible.

"You killed them!" the young girl screamed.

When she turned around, Abel caught his breath in his throat. She had flowing blonde hair with blue eyes. For a moment, Abel thought he saw Cain's face flash before him. He remembered the time when they were still young, when both he and Cain had their hair only up to their shoulders.

The girl who stood before him was young like Seth, and eerily resembled Cain, though her hair could not compare to the bright golden sunlight of Cain. However, Abel was sure that her eyes were Cain's, alike to himself, the captivating shade of the sky's blueness. He stepped away from her as she pointed an accusing finger at him.

"Murderer!" she cried out. Unbeknownst to her, her cry pierced Abel's heart. Abel was about to drop to his knees and beg her to take back the word she used to accuse him when he heard an order.

"_Crusnik. Execute her immediately,"_ _Magus_ commanding voice resounded in his ear. The scythe in Abel's grasp shook together with the tremors that ran through his body, as he watched the girl prostrate on the floor, overcome with grief. Abel knew he could not defy _Magus_, for he had sworn to avenge Cain by aiding the Contra Mundi in any way he could. But the girl in front of him who resembled Cain-

"_Do you need to be reminded a second time, Abel?" Magus_ asked him in the low seductive tones of a tempter. By now, the girl had embraced the severed head of a young boy, possibly one who was close to her. Her tears rolled down in streams, and the gaze she shot him held more agony than one her age could bear. _"Cain would be so disappointed to know that you faltered-"_

The girl suddenly dropped down dead, her arms still around the severed head that she held close to her chest. Her blue eyes stared emptily at the ceiling and her mouth was open in an expression of shock.

"_Good,"_ came the single affirmative from _Magus_. Abel slowly lowered his hand that was extended towards the spot where the blonde girl previously stood. Remnant sparks from the strong bioelectric bolt he had shot towards her sizzled from his fingers. Abel's mouth was open, as if he was able to stare at his own doing in disbelief. He had killed her in cold blood.

* * *

Abel is now revealed to be VERY BAD. What's he gonna dooo?

A large thanks to all my reviewers, I love you guys so much for all your encouragement! though I can't help asking, **GenesisCrow **and **Issylt**, where are youuu??:(

Albeitalways: omedeto to my first reviewer! Yes, I showed the other side of Cain which is hidden behind his sexiness, and yeah, I had to make him bad:( But I still love him!:D and Abel of course, always:)

Jhanna555: Weeeee!! You're right there, darling, of course Abel feels the worst pain in this story, cuz he loves Cain!

Naturally morbid: Seth is also one of the many victims to Cain's twisted form of entertainment:S and Abel of course, poor him. This chappie is not as descriptive as the previous, but slightly, I lightened it:)

Soupcan: Cain is changing, yeah, he's changing! But that's the best part, the two hidden sides of our blond Crusnik;)

GoddesofWrath: I'm so sorry the other chappies weren't historically correct, but I did try to make them correct with my recent editing, but I'm very happy that you still like my story!:D

RoseofSilence13: Mhmm, Abel takes it on very hard, in fact he takes on everything too hard, poor guy:( and he's my fave character! That's what makes him so wonderful, he's strong:)

Zazzy: Tomodachi, cutie kawaiiiii!! Arigatou gozaimasu, otome! That part was my favourite, cuz I've never written something lyk this before;)I hope that you'll stay attuned to my story, cuz I noe you love me and my story as well, heeheeee! I'm waiting for your next review:D


	10. Chapter 10: Ato modori wa mou dekinai

Disclaimer: Trinity Blood nor any of its characters belong to me.

* * *

**Silver and Blond**

**Chapter 10: ****Ato modori wa mou dekinai**

**(I cannot turn back anymore)**

**Alliance Aerospace Navy Fortress**

Abel rushed into the fortress, ignoring the gasps from those whom he knocked out of the way in frenzy. He was sure he looked a state; silver strands streaked with blood, his clean spacesuit spattered in red, his eyes wild and searching.

Abel sharply turned at the corridor, wishing to see familiar faces. His breath was hot against his own face, and the muscles in his legs screamed in protest of his fast-paced movements.

Abel cared not, for at that moment, all he wanted to do was to touch Cain's face and hold on to him for dear life, and let Cain soothe the pain that consumed his spirit.

As soon as he reached the door that opened to Cain's room, he stared up at the tiny black machine and let his DNA register in the machine's database.

"_Major Cain Knightlord is absent at the present time. Access denied,"_ chimed the machine.

An officer whose rank was lower than his came rushing up to Abel, and told him of the perilous situation they were placed in. Abel could only configure the whispered words as the officer briefed him through. As astonishing as it was, the Terran army had gained an upper hand in the battle, under the leadership of the 'Black Madonna', as they called the patron of the Terrans.

Cain's army had suffered a terrible blow, thus he and the rest of the War Council were currently in the midst of a meeting to find a way to solve the worst-case scenario that now fell upon their unsuspecting faces. No sooner had the officer finished his words, he vanished in the blink of an eye.

Abel could only stare at the closed doors, torn between blasting them open and leaving in peace. Abel finally chose the latter, after concluding that the former would get him nowhere near Cain, but instead to another War Council meeting as a result of Abel's violation of the security.

Desperate in venting out his rage, Abel channelled a bolt of bioelectricity towards the identification machine. The machine gave a few blurred beeping sounds, but otherwise, it was not severely damaged.

Abel felt as though someone had punched the lights out of him. He needed to confide in someone regarding the terrible sin- no, _sins_, Abel corrected- that he had recently committed. An image of a young girl with short, cropped hair of a dark green shade with a pearly white smile flitted in his mind.

"Seth," Abel whispered to the unhearing silence.

He set off as fast as he could towards her room, and he distinctly heard his name being said within the sea of muffled voices that followed his lingering steps. The way to Seth's room was long and winding, and Abel pleaded for time to pass quickly. All he wanted to do was to see Seth.

He had so many things to talk to her about, mainly to apologise for his rude conduct from the days before. Abel had been so adamant of the wilful wishes of the Contra Mundi and the promises and vows that lifted his spirits to avenge Cain's death.

Now, it seemed that everything he had thought was a true cause to fight for turned out to be a nasty way of weakening an adversary, through the attacks on their young and hapless innocents. The sharp smell of blood mysteriously drifted into his nostrils, and Abel let out a cry of rage and frustration.

Did the red trail of death linger on his very skin?

As soon as Abel had reached Seth's door, he could only do so much as to stare upward, letting the machine verify his identity. The moment the doors slid open, Abel darted into the room and fiercely looked around. He heard a simultaneous gasp from two voices he knew very well.

"Abel-niisan?" a familiar voice countered.

Abel looked to Seth with anguish swimming in his teary eyes, full of horror he had just witnessed. Seth could not help from giving a little shriek at the sight of so much blood that covered him. She rushed to him concernedly, her arm going about his waist, giving him as much comfort and support her small, lithe form could.

"Abel-niisan, what happened?" she asked. Abel could not answer, but let his head roll back in exhaustion.

When he had taken in a few deep breaths, he sat down with much grace as he could muster in a chair that Seth had pulled out for him. A hologram figure with sunken cheeks and worried eyes met his gaze. Abel bolted upright from his chair, his hair flying about his face, his finger pointing unbelievably at the hologram before him.

"Lil- Lilith," he said in disbelief.

She looked so different, as though she had never been the woman whom they had always encountered on the Ark. Now dressed in a long white dress of elaborate embroidery, she stood as graceful and poised as a goddess could, beautiful and terrible in her beauty. Her hair was now done up in an Asian style, and her eyes were lined with blue.

She was- Abel had to admit- the most beautiful woman he had ever laid his eyes upon. At seeing Abel, she gave a comforting smile, and simply stood calmly even as he suddenly pushed his chair back, startled at her appearance. Abel came closer to her, drinking in her goddess-like beauty like a thirsty man.

When the recent events came flooding back into his memories, Abel abandoned the thought of asking her what had caused her sudden change. Abel decided to be as frank as he could.

Mustering all the courage within him, he confessed in a small voice, "I killed them."

He heard Seth muffling a cry behind a faked cough, but Lilith seemed to give no reaction. She only shifted slightly, her expression unreadable.

"All the children, those mysterious killings. It was me behind it, I joined the Contra Mundi to avenge Cain," came out rushed.

A few seconds passed in silence between the three of them. Abel could hear Seth's breaths in and out as she tried to calm her racing pulse. Then, finally, Lilith spoke.

"I knew it was you."

Abel looked up at her wonderingly, and even Seth was clearly shocked. The two of them fixed their eyes on Lilith, who now nodded very slowly.

Her voice came out evenly, "I heard of these killings for a long time. Mostly, the culprit would leave behind a few trails. The security forces would track them hurriedly, only to receive sheer disappointment when encountering a cold trail which then stopped at a dead end."

She looked at Abel, and he guessed what she had silently said. Lilith's explanation had just proven the truth of _Magus_' words. The Contra Mundi _had _existed for a long time.

"Then," continued Lilith, her voice suddenly hushed. "A few days ago, I heard of a mass killing of Terrans, all killed in the explosion of buildings that housed numerous families. The strange thing that differed this case from the others was that there was no trail left behind."

Lilith's and Abel's eyes locked onto each other, while Seth sorted out the bits of information slowly, concluding what she had been picking up from both Abel and Lilith.

"The killing would always be the same; many deaths, normally families or children, like the recent massacre of the orphanage," said Lilith, and paused for a moment when Abel stiffened in his seat.

"The killer was undoubtedly proficient, always executing the missions when the lights were off and when everyone was asleep and unaware of what happened around them." At this point, Abel's face had drained off all colour, and Lilith decided that it was enough that she told about the killer.

"Seth always contacted me in secret, ever since Cain changed drastically, and she told me of what had been done unto her," said Lilith, her head swivelling to look in Seth's direction. Abel followed suit, now fixing his eyes upon the young girl that stared at the floor nervously.

"She always told me that you were out during the night, and Cain sometimes mysteriously disappeared. I used to convince her not to dwell on bad thoughts, but I could not help feeling suspicious. Why were the times when you seemed to be out were the times when the killings were done? I pieced the pieces of puzzle back together. No one could kill that efficiently, leaving behind no trail, not even Methuselahs."

Abel now faced Lilith. Cautiously, Lilith stated, "Except for a Crusnik."

The room was quiet for a few minutes; even Seth had stopped rocking her chair as though acknowledging the tenseness of the situation, and now stared from Abel to Lilith and back again. She seemed to expect one of them to say something. Finally, Abel raised his elegant head and stared sorrowfully at Seth and Lilith.

"I'm so sorry," he said softly. Lilith gave him a sad smile, but Seth was still badly shaken from knowing the full truth. "I just- I just-"

"You just wanted to avenge Cain because he died for the both of us," finished Seth, when she found that Abel could not complete his statement. "But, Abel-niisan," came Seth's gentle voice again. "You don't need to take your revenge on the Terrans by consorting with the Contra Mundi and killing innocents."

Abel flinched at the last word, but his attention was still fixed on her. "I believe that if Cain was still himself, he would not want you to barge into buildings and kill all those within it."

Seth's words struck a chord in Abel's soul. He looked to Lilith, expecting an accusing gaze, but was shocked when he saw a light smile on her face. The three of them exchanged glances, and the steel in the air vaporised, but returned once more when Lilith sat up in her chair, her expression fierce.

"When we are here talking, I treat you as I would treat my own family," said Lilith. "But after this, I will have no mercy on you; your army has done enough to my people. Seth," Lilith's firm voice resounded, her eyes firmly fixed on Seth's face.

"Please do realise that your obsession with Terrans becoming a race under Methuselah will only meet a dead end. Terrans have their disadvantages, so do the Methuselahs. That is the way of the world, no race is perfect."

"But the Terrans refuse to bow down to our rule," Seth reasoned. "They will not admit who is the more superior of the races."

"And indeed, neither is superior," Lilith spoke with a clipped tone. "I know what you have managed to do, that temporary cure against sunlight and silver for the Methuselahs. But I tell you it's causing much damage than it reaps benefits. Ask the Methuselahs on the battlefield, and you'll know the truth of what they speak. Or has your experience with Cain taught you nothing?"

At this, Seth involuntarily flinched. "This coexistence you speak of is an ephemeral dream. It cannot be achieved," Seth stated.

Abel's eyes swivelled between Lilith and Seth. He knew that the both of them had put aside their caring exterior and now donned on the responsibility that lay on their shoulders. Lilith was the Dark Saint who fought for the sake of the Terrans, and Seth was the Lieutenant of the Alliance Aerospace Navy, one loyal to the cause of the Methuselah.

"So you say. But if I win this war, it will no longer be unreachable," Lilith said promisingly. Seth glanced at her angrily, but breathed out slowly as though to calm herself.

"Don't worry," Lilith's voice had taken on her usual soft tone, and Seth's eyes looked up, hopeful once more. "I only hope the rightful side will win this war, so that we can go back to being together once more." At this, Seth could not help the smile that rose to her face.

"During my stay with Terrans, I learned one important lesson," said Lilith. Abel and Seth waited for her next words, curiosity getting the better of them.

Lilith's smile widened as she added, "One must learn to be loving and forgiving." Abel found his own lips curling into a smile, thankful for the second chance Lilith offered to him.

A device on Seth's outfit started to beep, and she gave a bashful look as she muttered an apology before heading outside, heeding the call of her superior.

Once Lilith was alone with Abel, she gave him a sad smile. "Seth still does not want to believe in the dream of peace. I see it in her eyes," Lilith said slowly.

"She's still so fascinated with the truth that science beholds. It is true that Methuselahs may be superior in physical state, may live a longer life, may seem the more powerful of the two races, but has she forgotten that Methuselah once used to be Terran? Why are we fighting our origins? Is it because we feel that we no longer need them, because they are weak and we are strong? If she believes it to be true, then I have no choice but to make her my enemy, as Cain is now."

With those words, Lilith's form on the hologram faded away, leaving Abel to the silence of the now empty room. Abel looked at the spot where Lilith's form was previously. He frowned slightly.

"She's still the young girl you love," he whispered to the nothingness. "But now she's torn between choosing the dream she always treasured, and taking up the new but alien dream you offer her."

Abel's sigh then echoed the walls of Seth's room, as he remembered the intensity of the pain he had felt when he gazed upon the young girl's face before he had violently ripped her life away from her small body.

"War destroys us all."

* * *

Hello! I'm so sorry for the terrible delay of this chapter, but as you all know, I'll be going to college soon! Yeay, I'm no longer a schoolgirl, but sincerely, I miss school a lot. I'll have to be away from home then;( So yes, this chapter was delayed by the numerous preparations I had to do. But I'll not abandon this story, it's the air I breathe in;)

A very big thank you to all my reviewers! I'm sure to those of you who've not reviewed, you must be pretty busy too, like me, LoL;p don't worry, but I'm so happy to those of you who took your time in reviewing, thank you so much!

Jhanna555: I love Abel too! I hug him every night;p as if, I really wished I owned a plushie of him and Cain! I'll have them on my bed each day, and stare at them for an hour, drooling;)

GoddesOfWrath: Abel's always torn between following Cain or himself, cuz actually he's so good inside, he can't bear to hurt anyone, luv him!

Giggle-gaggle: Poor Abel too! I do wish I'd stop victimising him, but otherwise, his love for Cain would not have proof that it's super strong… Don't worry, he'll survive, for Cain;) Thank you for reading all the chapters! I really appreciate it:D

Naturally morbid: I love being descriptive, and that's the main reason I put my story rating to 'T' now, I think I'm making the killing scenes quite gory:S Cain's disturbing isn't he? Well, this chapter is sort of a getaway before… heheee, I'll post the next chapter soon!:)

RoseofSilence13: Adorable Abel, yup, that's him! But I wanted to put his hidden character in my story, the one that they showed towards the end of the anime, he's actually aware of everything, and he's so serious inside:S but I like him being naïve!:)


	11. Chapter 11: Kurikaeshita toikake wa ten

Disclaimer: Trinity Blood nor any of its characters belong to me.

* * *

**Silver and Blond**

**Chapter 11: Kurikaeshita toikake wa ten ni mai**

**(The repeated question dances in the heavens)**

**The Ark, Ark II**

Cain stared at the exchange between Abel and Lilith. He watched all this with a smile on his face, though his eyes noted each movement, be it slight or obvious to the eye. This time, unlike the many other times they had come up to the Ark, Abel had placed his arms around Lilith's waist naturally as if he had done it many other times when Lilith came up to embrace him. Cain felt something twisting inside him when Lilith smiled at Abel warmly, and Abel had given a dazzling smile back.

Cain fixed his eyes on Abel's face. Pale, beautiful, and sorrowful were the words bequeathed to Abel when he stood in the stark whiteness of the Ark.

As soon as Lilith freed Abel from the circle of her arms, Cain leaned back against the wall, closing his eyes in relief. He did not wish to see Abel in anyone's arms, save his for that matter.

When Abel had his back facing Cain, Cain stared hungrily at Abel's form. It had been a long time since he had kissed Abel. Of course, reminisced Cain knowingly, Abel had been _busy_. The Contra Mundi had kept him so pleasantly occupied, and Abel seemed to take each assignment on with much delight.

The defeat of the Alliance Aerospace Navy at the hands of the Terrans, aided by their 'Dark Saint'- here, Cain flashed a sharp glance at Lilith- was truly unexpected. Cain had been awarded the title of a knight for his bravery displayed in the last battle, although the Methuselah army had lost. And so, he was now addressed as Major Cain Knightlord.

Cain flipped a cumbersome lock from his eyes and stared at the young girl standing a few feet away from him. The look on Seth's face was enough to convince anyone how unpredictable the defeat of the Methuselah was.

Cain watched as Seth came forth to stand before Lilith. Her deep green eyes held a challenge, and Cain repressed a smirk, as he knew to exactly why Seth's face looked the way it was now. Seth was no strategist, but she looked at battles in a scientific way.

She had been an analytical observer, and judging from the tabulations of data she had collected together with her intelligence applied through the weapons wielded by the Methuselah, the defeat was more than a blow to her face. And to lose face in front of Lilith, who was said to be the most gentle and understanding of the Crusniks, painted shame on the young girl's visage.

Only Abel looked accepting of what had happened, and Cain knew the reason why too. It was all because of the beautiful goddess with red hair, radiant among them, proudly acknowledging her victory. Cain had to admit, Lilith was indeed a mastermind.

She had united the nations of the Earth and even influenced some of the Methuselah to aid her and turn their backs on their own race. Together, her powerful army had launched an unexpected ambush on the Night Lords, armed with weapons that gave off UV light and injected silver into the Methuselahs bloodstream, allowing no chance of survival.

Lilith had been merciless in driving the Methuselah away to the East, just as Cain expected her to. But now, once on the Ark they had grown up in, the exact replica of the original Ark they left behind in Mars, each person stood at ease as though the war had never happened, or no battle had been won.

At the present time, Lilith's brown eyes were fixed on Seth as both of them narrowed their eyes, their gaze cold and calculating. Then finally, Seth's serious face broke into a smile as she ran forth to Lilith and embraced the woman around her waist. Lilith gave a relieved sigh and held Seth's small form close to her. When Seth pulled away, the competitive look still shone in her green depths.

"Now that the war's over," rang her childish tone. "I suppose we could carry out some diplomatic relations and learn to live with each other."

Lilith smiled at this. "Of course we will, Seth. Just don't get too ambitious with your dreams of evolution nor racism," she warned knowingly. At this, Seth immediately put on a bright smile.

"I won't say I will, but I'll try," she said cheekily. Then, her face turned into a disgruntled expression, showing her true feelings. "I'm not too happy about this."

"Nor I," Abel spoke, surprising them all.

He looked at them expectantly and spread his hands. "We've just been in a battle against each other. So many things have happened, conflicts, turmoil, bloodshed, misunderstandings, everything. I don't think I can walk hand in hand with a Terran after this, but as Seth said, we'll try our best."

"Abel-niisan's right!" chimed Seth and vibrantly threw herself on Abel's back, while he carried her around, much to Lilith's amusement.

Then, Cain stepped forward. Seeing him do so, Seth slithered off Abel's back and unconsciously took a step back. She could still taste the flesh and blood in her mouth; a bitter reminder of what he had made her go through when she had been the head of the Science Department in the Navy.

Abel looked at Cain with a torn expression. He wanted to confront Cain and demand the reason that led him to force Seth into cannibalism, but at the same time, he did not want to rock the boat the four of them sat on.

And he still loved Cain, oh yes.

"I suppose we'll sign the negotiating treaty later, Lilith," spoke Cain leisurely, his tone betraying none of the feelings that he felt. He gave a light smile to the woman standing a few feet away from him. "I need you to check me up first, now that the war's over."

Lilith merely inclined her head, agreeing to Cain's suggestion. "Then I'll meet you in the Health Care Room soon. Meanwhile, I need to send a telegram back to Earth," she informed them and took her leave from the Transportation Room. However, Lilith paused in her tracks, and looked to Abel before giving him a smile.

"Abel, would you mind if I had a word with you in private?" she asked.

Cain's eyes immediately flashed at Lilith, but Lilith only held his gaze strongly. Seth looked at Abel and gave a careless shrug, indicating that she thought no ill of Lilith's wish. At seeing the agreement in Seth's eyes, Cain too followed suit, and tossed his head back in a disarming manner.

At first, Lilith said nothing to Abel but gave him a dazzling smile and slipped her fingers through his. Astonished at the warmth in his hand, Abel slightly started but did not let go of Lilith's hand.

"I'm so thankful the war's over," Abel began, his voice soft and content. "Now we can be ourselves again."

Lilith regarded him with sad eyes. "The war really changed you, didn't it? You're not so violent now," she noted and smiled at him warmly. "I'm very happy for you."

Abel then paused in his tracks as a thought occurred through him. "Lilith, what are you going to do after this?" he asked. Lilith looked away for a moment as she pondered her response.

"I'll be heading to the Vatican in Rome, now the major power and the acting voice of the Terrans worldwide," she informed him. Abel gave a sad sigh as they continued to walk.

"I don't know where to go, actually," he admitted frankly. "Seth will be heading over to rejoin the Methuselah-"

"And she'll lock herself up in the lab and start experimenting once more-" joined Lilith.

"And desperately tries to find a way to make Methuselahs immune to sunlight and silver. Yes, that's her ultimate dream," finished Abel.

He and Lilith both laughed at each other, and Lilith affectionately leaned her weight momentarily on his shoulder. They were silent before they came to the door of Lilith's room where she turned around to face Abel fully.

"I understand your indecision, but I know that I can't force you to take sides with either of the races. You have your reasons why you should not join the Methuselah or Terran," Lilith admitted. "But I'm hoping that you'll realise the future you've always dreamed of."

Abel looked away from her, his beautiful face etched in sadness once more.

"That was a long time ago," he whispered. Lilith squeezed his hand, trying to give him some of her warmth and strength. Her smile was bright enough to illuminate a room. Lilith then reached out one hand to caress Abel's cheek comfortingly, her fingers sliding across his smooth skin.

"I can see it in your eyes, Abel, that you seem to hate the world, but you can't. Deep inside you, there is something different that you feel for humanity. You cannot hate the world. You loved, and you believed, but you have been betrayed, and that is why you became the enemy of the world. It is not too late to turn over a new leaf," Lilith said encouragingly.

Then, she took both his hands in hers and smiled at him. "Why don't you start all over again?" she suggested. She let go of his hands once he smiled at her in response, but before she closed the door, she spoke again. "Please do not forget all that I've said."

/scene shifts/

Seth had been in cold sweat when she had been left alone with Cain, but the latter merely flashed her a smile all too bright, which sent her into a fit of shudders. Seth counted the seconds slowly, keeping her mind on the peaceful panorama of the Earth's surface while waiting for Abel to come back.

At the slightest sound, Seth whirled around and watched as Abel came back to the Transportation Room smiling and radiant, and she silently gave a sigh of relief..

Seth had been more than tired of being in the navy, with her hopes flying high and low with each progress in their battles. Now, she felt like a liberated bird, free to soar anywhere. When she came back into reality, Seth realised that only the three of them now stood in the Transportation Room.

Seth gave a signal to Abel to talk to Cain, to uncover the reason behind his uncanny actions back on Earth, and with a flash of her bright green eyes, she exited the room to head off for her laboratory to collect some samples she left behind on the Ark during the war.

"Cain?" a soft voice called out. Cain closed his eyes for a moment, basking in the sweetness of hearing his own name being called by the person he desired even more than Lilith.

"Abel," Cain sang out, liking the rush of blood that came into the silver-haired man's cheeks.

However, Abel controlled his body from flying into Cain's arms, and instead looked at Cain with a haunting sorrow within his blue depths. When Cain took a step towards him, Abel found his feet moving away by themselves. He could even hear his own heart thumping in his chest, and his mind racking for words to say.

"Cain," Abel said slowly. "I need to tell you this. All that time when we were in battle, you commanded massive killings of the Terran army, even when they put up a sign of surrender-"

"Would you have believed that those fools were _truly_ surrendering?" Cain cut in smoothly, his eyes flashing. "For all you know, Abel, they would stab us in the back the moment we turn our faces away from them."

"Well, that's a different matter," Abel said firmly, not wanting Cain to sway him away from what his mind was screaming at him to say. He could even feel his fingers being curled in a fist.

"I wanted to talk to you about Seth." When Cain did not even blink, Abel drew in his breath and continued.

"You- you forced her to _eat_ those Methuselahs, when you know whose side we're on!" Abel almost shouted. "I know that your position in the Navy allows you to command her to do as you ask, but your commands must not go beyond the Scientific Department. What you asked her to do was simply terrible, no doubt we're Crusniks, but forcing her to commit an act of cannibalism…"

Abel had to stop a moment to breathe, for he felt his chest suddenly growing tight, with his stomach churning. All of a sudden, he felt as though he was back in Seth's laboratory, watching her retching on the floor. "I don't believe you did that, Cain."

For a moment, no one spoke. There was only a slow movement of the inspiration and expiration of air by the two men standing in the room. Abel was pale in anger, whereas Cain merely looked at Abel with an unguarded expression of pride, mirth and hunger. Finally, Cain straightened himself and tossed back his blond bangs, letting the light streak them with golden glints.

"I did what I had to," stated Cain, his features arranged in an expression of regret. "I had no ulterior motives towards the Terrans, but when they went out of hand," Cain paused dramatically, his finger touching his temple lightly.

"I remedied the situation." At this, his smile became wider.

"As for what happened to Seth, I know you're extremely curious to why I had to ask her to do such a thing was for the good of our army," Cain said knowingly.

"Those miserable Terrans I brought in were having a plague, and it was wise to eliminate them from the society. You know how Methuselahs and we Crusniks are immune to such trivial human diseases, and those two probably wanted to die, being in the deplorable state they were in. Those Methuselahs were no better for they themselves were cannibals. They were charged with being unable to control their thirst and ended up feasting on their own kind. Terrible beings, are they not? And it did benefit Seth and you to feed on them, for our body does need Methuselah blood from time to time, don't we, Abel?"

Abel did not move, as though taking in Cain's words and weighing the expressions written on the blond's face.

"Are you _doubting_ me, Abel?" Cain's soft voice with an undertone of sorrow drifted into Abel's ear, involuntarily causing a shiver to run down the silver-haired man's back. When Abel plucked up his courage to finally look at Cain in the eye, he was shocked to see a gleaming fresh bout of tears shining within Cain's blue depths.

"Do you really think that I killed because I enjoyed a massacre?" came Cain's voice again, its soft ring drawing Abel back into the past where he and Cain had never stopped smiling, the both of them laughing and rolling in the grass together when they had first reached Earth. And he remembered their kisses, soft as silk and sweet like honey.

"Abel," Cain spoke again, bringing Abel back to reality. "Don't you know?"

This question only brought a raised silver eyebrow to Abel's face. "Don't I know what, Cain?" Abel asked, tired from the many images flashing in his mind, of Cain lying bloody and broken upon the sharp stones, Seth vomiting and crying alone in her laboratory, and Lilith looking at him, hopeful and expecting.

For once, Abel just wanted to let the burden drop from his shoulders. He wanted to feel the sense of warmth, safety and security within someone's embrace. He yearned for love.

Then, Cain approached Abel carefully, watching the silver-haired man movements. Abel merely remained rooted to his spot, his expression unreadable. As soon as they were close enough, Cain slowly gathered Abel into his arms and gently pressed his lips against Abel's own, feeling the latter breathe a sigh of relief into Cain.

Smiling against Abel's mouth, Cain responded with a pressing urgency, seducing Abel into a rush of heat and passion. Cain felt Abel freeze for a moment, before responding back, but not with the insane urgency Cain had. When Cain pulled away, Abel coughed for a moment, out of breath.

Cain laughed at this and gently patted Abel's back with his hand until the fit had subsided. Abel looked at Cain with undisguised relief and gratefulness, his eyes a little teary from too much coughing.

"I'm sorry," said Abel politely, his gaze downcast. "I'm just-"

"A little out of practice?" Cain finished, reading the mind of the beautiful man opposite him.

Abel smiled at Cain, but seemed as though he wanted to leave the place very soon. Cain's grip on Abel's arm tightened a little, not enough to frighten Abel, but strong enough to not let Abel escape. Cain kissed Abel again, gently this time. Abel seemed to relax more and did not pull away when Cain had finished. Cain playfully rubbed the tip of his nose against Abel's own.

"Oh, Abel, I missed you so much," Cain said breathily. "I love you, darling."

At hearing those words, Abel pulled away from Cain slowly, extricating himself from Cain's embrace and searched the eyes of the one he loved, seeing his own eyes mirrored in identical blue depths. Did he really believe all that Cain had spoken, or was he desperate and tired to be treated like a lover once more?

Drawing in his breath, Abel asked very quietly, "Do you?"

* * *

Wow, so many reviews! Thank you so much, to all of my reviewers, I'm so sorry if I've updated so late! I've just gone through so many medical examinations just to confirm that I'm a healthy enough person to go to college… And I had my first experience of my blood being tested!:D

And to Irene Sharda, you've really boosted my urge to write, since I've been feeling so nervous and unsettled with my entrance to college.

Minna-san, I've made this chapter longer than usual, as my show of gratitude and appreciation for your support, arigatou gozaimasu wa kanaede-kanaede!

Jhanna555: Deariedear! I hoped you enjoyed this chapter, though your review was cut off;( How's school?;)

Naturally morbid: Thank you so much! You're in college too? I'm hoping that I get good roommates and a conducive environment and enough time for me to study:P Gosh, I must sound like such a nerd, but mainly, that's what bothers me;p

Silverxtears: Thank you for giving me a lovely review and discovering my story:D In truth, I was really intrigued by the Crusniks, and I could not help wondering how they were before the war, when the four of them were still close to each other. And the amazing thing about the characters is their respective metamorphosis for all four of them. You definitely know the transition of their relationship, and it's very sad actually:( I don't know for sure, but I'm hoping to give Cain and Abel a good end, they deserve it:)

RoseOfSilence13: Don't worry, I'll wait for your review:) Thank you for wishing me the best of luck! Yes, the Cain we love is slipping away, slowly. I don't think that anyone would like to war against their own family, especially when you're cough in love with cough one of them;)

Irene Sharda: Thank you for reviewing on the previous chapters, it made me read them again to look back on what I wrote before, and to ensure that the continuity of the story is smoothflowing:) Have you read the response that I sent back to your email? I hope that clears your confusion:) Cain is very evil actually, but despite all that, Abel still loves him very much. And Isaak isn't _Magus_;p A lot of people are guessing that, but as you said, he's too young during this stage, perhaps he's not even in existence yet. Cain's very ambitious, unlike Abel who knows how to prioritise. Once he settles for something, he just cares about his aim, dismissing everything else:S But he's an extremely jealous when someone else tries to get a move on Abel, even when he knows very well that he's number one in Abel's heart;)

Zzzazzzy: oh my dear girl finally got herself a account, goodie goodies;) Arigatou gozaimasu for making me one of your fave authors and silver and blonde as your fave stories:D I know, I wish you all the best of luck in university, I can't believe you're letting me fly solo in a totally different environment, at least you have Julia! Abel's actually very torn, he's always very torn. And it always involves Cain:S

Albeitalways: I missed you, dear! I'm just very happy that you took time to review my story:) you're in college too? Yeay, I'm not alone!:D Abel became a cold-blooded killer unknowingly, he knew he was killing, but he just didn't know exactly what he was doing. That's why Lilith and Seth know that they can't blame him entirely.

GoddesOfWrath: Oh, it didn't even cross my mind, but it makes me happy when you say it;p but does it really mirror those events? Like everyone, I'm praying for the best;)

Issylt: RAYYY!! You updated, wheeee!! You left it at a cliffy, something I rarely do!:P and yes, I have to, I'm following the chain of events, honey, I can't change it:( but don't worry, that's not the last you'll see of her;)


	12. Chapter 12: Yasashii kotoba dake semete

Disclaimer: Trinity Blood or any of its characters belong to me.

* * *

**Silver and Blond**

**Chapter 12: Yasashii kotoba dake semete obete okitakatta**

**(I only wanted to remember the tender words at least)**

The both of them stood still for a moment, two graceful pillars of height and supremacy, each complementing the other. That moment lasted for ages, it seemed, while two seas of endless blue skies gazed into each other, seeking the truth within.

Cain inwardly smirked. Abel was so resistant, one could see the anxiety and confusion etched into the lines of worry traced upon his porcelain skin. He did not melt into Cain's river of sweet promises like a bee drawn to the intoxicatingly sweet scent of nectar, but rather, Abel had set up his defenses securely, his priceless move being the latest question he posed before Cain.

_Do you?_

It was a simple question, yet the turmoil it arose was disbelieving. _Do I or do I not, that is the question. _Cain quietly sang to himself. Arranging his features in a faultless expression of hurt and gentle desperation, Cain took a step away from Abel.

"I suppose that if you do have a solid reason to doubt me, I shall not parry with you," Cain said in a voice slightly more than a whisper. "Neither will I force you into something you are not happy with."

There. One could see the incredulous widening of Abel's blue eyes at Cain's statement. Abel had clearly been taken aback, for no one but the Cain he had known before the dreadful disaster could speak with such open honesty and was willing to sacrifice so much to gain so little in return.

Cain then cast his final and penultimate enchantment as soon as he had finished counting the seconds Abel had remained silent. Lifting his shoulders in a smooth gesture and letting a little smile grace his lips, Cain put his words very simply.

"After all, I love you. I do now, I will forever."

Another sharp breath came from Abel, and the silver haired man took a step towards Cain, followed by Cain automatically taking a step back. Cain turned away and spoke once more.

"Just as I promised you on that wakeful day, before my soul was separated from my body, I shall hold true to my words. And even death shall not mark the end of my promise to you."

A second had not yet passed when Abel rushed to Cain and buried his face into Cain's back. When Cain felt the warm moisture seeping into the fabric of his spacesuit and chilling his skin, he could not help smiling widely. He had done it, Abel had come. Cain then turned around and arrested Abel in his arms, kissing him passionately.

And when he tasted Abel's tears mingling with the sweetness of their kiss, Cain then drowned in a sea of bliss at his recent conquest.

"You remembered, Cain!" whispered Abel sharply as he embraced Cain tightly. Abel pulled away quickly, his words streaming out of his mouth. "I- I thought all the time-"

"You thought I was insane, did you, my love? Well, how could I ever forget what I've said to you when you are the very centre of my inner universe? Insanity shall never claim my mind, not while our love still prevails. If you leave me, then perhaps, I shall go insane," said Cain smoothly, watching the way Abel's eyes brimmed with tears of happiness. In response, Abel gripped Cain's upper arms tightly.

Cain laughed at Abel's conduct. "Have no worry, love. We will never be parted from each other. When Lilith comes with the detailed results of my examination, you will see the truth of my words. We will live in peace together as soon as our feet touch Earth," Cain said ambitiously, and Abel smiled in open joy at hearing Cain's promises. Suddenly, Abel's face clouded.

"Cain, I'm quitting the Contra Mundi," he said decidedly. Had Abel been looking at Cain and not at the floor, he would have seen the latter's eyes gleaming dangerously, his expression hostile. Cain tried his best to fake a laugh.

"_What_?" he asked Abel, his tone carefully controlled. Abel simply spread out his hands in a disarming manner. Abel then closed his eyes, wishing to rid those painful memories that depicted decapitated bodies and puddles of blood. He still could feel the warm liquid gliding in between his fingers, a sensation that took a lifetime to disappear.

"The war is over," said Abel. "The Terrans have won over us. There is no need for me to be an assassin; I have killed more than necessary. I am tired, Cain. I am tired of the blood, of those faces staring at me; I'm tired of death. There's nothing I would want more than to live with you."

Here Abel smiled so beautifully that Cain felt sure that the whole world would weep had they seen him smiling like that. "I want to see Seth and Lilith happy, I want us all to live normal lives and be happy, as we all deserve to."

Cain watched Abel most attentively. A smile began to form on Cain's handsome features as he plotted what words would he say next. "If that's what you wish for, darling," he cooed at Abel, sending a fleeting smile to him. "I have no objections. But I'm very touched by your display of perseverance in avenging me. I thank you very much, Abel."

Little did Abel know that Cain was lying through his teeth, for right after he had finished his statement, Cain imprisoned Abel in his arms and kissed him a little roughly than usual to silence the latter. Abel, with his mind partially unable to segregate wrong from right due to his own passion overtaking him, only nodded submissively.

Abel had to agree that Cain was indeed behaviourally strange, but if Cain merely did it out of love and responsibility and not spite, Abel knew it was proof against his insanity. Lilith had to be wrong at a few things, and Abel knew he had to talk to her. Later, he decided.

Cain's mind drifted back to what he had secretly overheard Lilith saying to Abel and Seth back at the fortress. _"One must be loving and forgiving,"_ he echoed out loudly, thinking of what she had said. Then, Cain suddenly paused. The world could have fallen on him at that very moment. Had he said that statement aloud?

Cain knew the consequences were terrible, for then Abel would know that he had been eavesdropping, and that Cain was not as angelic as his facial features portrayed him to be. Fearfully, Cain's eyes hurriedly sought out Abel's, but found that Abel was smiling at him gently.

"I'm sure the Terrans must be so if Lilith had learned that from them," said Abel, his posture relaxed, letting his nerves take on the bliss after a flight of passion.

Cain felt as though gold had fallen down from the sky. The joy bubbling up in him was immense, and it took him all he could to repress the urge to laugh out loud. Abel was so unsuspecting, apparently forgetting who had been present when Lilith spoke the words to Seth and him. Cain simply shrugged, then looked seriously at Abel again.

"The minus element that builds up all these tension should really be annihilated," Cain said, thinking of Lilith. Her words had visibly poisoned Abel's mindset, and Cain felt a roaring rage within him as he imagined Lilith luring Abel away from him. Lilith had overstepped her boundaries, not knowing how dire the consequences of her decision were.

"A negative element?" Abel repeated after Cain. The latter gave a laugh when he saw how grave Abel looked. Cain patted Abel affectionately on the back.

"Never must you worry, love of my heart," Cain soothed Abel, taking the advantage of his close proximity with Abel and kissed him quickly. Not too long after Cain's lips parted with Abel's, the silver-haired man suddenly found his lover's fingers busy with the folds of his spacesuit. Abel raised an eyebrow at this, and observed that Cain's actions were unlike they used to be.

Instead of slowly releasing the bonds that kept Abel's spacesuit together, Cain now tore at the fabric viciously, as though slicing away at an invisible enemy. Hitching his breath in his throat, Abel could not help keeping silent anymore. His right hand automatically came up to hold Cain's arm.

"Cain, what are you-" Abel began, but Cain only clamped his mouth firmly on Abel's, giving no room for Abel to speak, robbing the air in Abel's lungs.

Cain's lips forcing themselves painfully on Abel's, the latter found the air from his body sucked away by Cain with a painful slowness. With the minimal air that was contained within his body, Abel found himself growing breathless, and the need for air was painfully urgent. Cain's fingers now entangled themselves in Abel's silver strands, stroking, pulling, and rubbing the silky softness against his cheek.

Abel tried to move away from Cain, who had now succeeded in stripping Abel of his clothing, and now left his body bare for the cold air to kiss. Abel felt his hair rise in response to the drastic change of temperature, and now tried to release his wrists from Cain's firm grasp, the kiss now turning torturous, the air slowly depleting from his mouth.

Then, Cain abruptly pulled away from Abel, letting the latter slowly crumple to the floor as the air rushed back into his lungs, with stars dancing behind his shut eyelids. Cain only continued to smile at Abel, and slipped out of his own clothing just as quickly, staring down at Abel for a moment.

_How dare you side with her, Abel, _thought Cain. _How can you discard me like a piece of rubbish and listen to a woman who betrayed our race? Never mind, my beauty, I love you too much, but I hate you at the same time. I cannot help but love you, but Abel my love, I am _so _angry. You must be punished darling, and I will be your angel, your punisher. Feel how painful love can be._

Just as soon as Abel found enough strength to raise his head to look at Cain, Cain had slipped his arms around Abel's waist, carrying the silver-haired man leisurely as though Abel was as light as a feather. Then, just as casually as he could, Cain threw Abel onto the floor. Abel was in a daze when Cain threw him to the floor, as the lack of air had eluded his mind, and the fall to the floor was extremely abrupt, causing Abel difficulty in sorting out the events that took place, his mind feeling as though a thousand daggers of ice were stabbing themselves into his brain.

Cain looked at the trail of blood that oozed from Abel's lip, split due to the impact it took from the fall. The blond immediately knelt down by Abel's side, his fingers hovering over the trail of blood on Abel's lips, his eyes gleaming red with hunger. Cain bent forward and rolled his tongue over Abel's chin, and trailed up to Abel's lips, claiming them once more.

After a period of recovering from his daze, Abel found pain rushing up his side, and felt Cain's lips bruising his own once more. Abel winced as he tried to sit up, but Cain held him down, imprisoning his legs with his body weight, pinning Abel's arms to the floor. As Cain looked down at Abel, his blue eyes glittered with an intangible feeling.

"Are you all right, darling?" Cain asked sweetly, twirling a silver strand around his fingers. "Oh, Abel, I love your hair. Always have, it's just so beautiful," Cain breathed, while Abel only continued to gaze at Cain silently, his blue gaze full of questioning and incomprehension.

Abel felt a slight tingling at the centre of his bottom lip, and knew that regeneration was finally taking place. But his mind kept on asking his heart the same question. _Why is he doing this to me?_

"Why?" Abel found himself asking. Cain only widened his smile and lowered his bare body to meet Abel's, and kissed Abel's forehead, and moved on to his eyes, tasting the slight saltiness from the corner of his eyes.

"Because, _my love_, we are lovers, and lovers need to reconcile after a long period of being absent from each other," Cain purred into Abel's hair. "As you said, the war is over, and now is the time for us to share each other's company. I am for you, as you are for me."

Cain's words weaved a seemingly powerful spell on Abel, as Abel found himself slowly relaxing in Cain's grasp and letting his guard down. Smirking at Abel's submissiveness, Cain took the opportunity to flip Abel over. Shock invaded Abel's mind, for Cain had never done such thing. Though, when Abel wanted to push the blond off him, something in him persisted. As, Abel felt the cold floor against his bare chest, he shivered.

Atop Abel, Cain looked down at his beloved's figure, vulnerable and exposed for the world's mercy. Cain's eyes took in the glimmer in Abel's blue ones, the carelessly beautiful way his silver hair pooled on the floor and flowed over his shoulders and face, and finally to his pale porcelain skin. Cain wanted to kiss Abel, and lose himself in Abel's dazzling beauty of the silver moonlight.

However, just as Cain was going to lower himself to engage Abel in a painfully sweet kiss, he saw Abel and Lilith before him, smiling in each other's arms. Cain felt his heartbeat rate accelerate, and his nerves scorched by the vehement warmth that rushed through his body. Then, Cain's weight came down crushing on him. Abel could not help it anymore, and was thankful for facing the floor when tears escaped his eyes.

As the pain came searing through his body, Abel shut his eyes, trying to separate himself from the excruciating moment he was imprisoned in.

"I love you, Abel, I love you. Remember, this is all because I _love_ you," Cain whispered in his ear, kissing the silver crown of Abel's hair. Abel tried to cling onto Cain's words while shutting his eyes against the pain, but his heart kept screaming at him relentlessly, that Abel was unable to avoid his mind from echoing the same laments.

_Why? What did I do to deserve this? Does he… love me…truly?_

* * *

Hmmm. Even as the author, I can't even bring myself to say much about this chapter, but I love it just as I love all my other chapters:) It's somewhat painful, and kind of tragic, right? ………..I don't know!! Oh dear, someone please tell me what you think of it? The reason I'm in this mood is because I've already ventured off to college, and I stay in a room with three girls, they're all very sweet! This is strange, cuz I love my college, I think it's one of the best places, even though it's only been a week, it's like my second home, and my friends rock:D I'm soo happy! Our hostel and campus, absolutely superb! Though I have a sinking feeling about the workload of AusMat students:S nevermind, it'll be all right, aesya!

Jhanna555: hugs back miss you, dearie, and your cute little mails;p I hope your computer gets better!:)

Irene Sharda: Most of the Crusniks have split personalities, which makes them all very intriguing, in fact. There is never a single boring part when you get to know them better:) The codenames are passed on, in fact they're codenames in the Order of the Magi, something like a secret organisation. And the whole scientific thing about the nanomachines are really complicated, it took me months to understand:S but well, I hope my story clarifies things!:D

Issylt: Cain is super scary and HOT! LoL, bad guys are always hot;p I'm in college now, dear, so we'll be doing around the same big fat workload, haha! Two peas stuck in a tight pod;p

Naturally morbid: Same here, college is going to take a toll on my free time! But it's okay, I'll upload as much as I can, and make sure that the chapters are entertaining:)

RoseOfSilence13: I'll say that this is the calm before a storm;) hehe, but the interesting part is going to come in chapter13, and then you'll see all what's going to happen, but I've already leaked it out slightly in this chapter, naughty me;)

GoddessOfWrath: Cain and Abel lovers, hands up! WHEEEE!!:D

Zzzazzzy: Yup, I agree a 150 percent with you that Cain is bad and hot, all baddies are hotties, therefore all hotties are baddies, lol, I'm blubbing;) I loved our chat yesterday, dear, I did miss your voice soo much:) Abel just goes melting away like an ice cream in the sun when Cain croons to him, heeeheee! Wink wink! Seeya, dear!


	13. Chapter 13: Kasureta Nodo de Ojousama to

Disclaimer: Trinity Blood or any of its characters belong to me.

* * *

**Silver and Blond**

**Chapter 13: Kasureta Nodo de Ojousama to Oyobinasai**

**(With your sliced throat, call me your Queen)**

Lilith had been setting up the scanning machine when Cain walked into the room casually, a smile painted on his handsome face. Lilith still could not get used to it, the haunting similarity of the features of the two Crusniks.

Cain and Abel, two beings of impossible beauty and terrifying power, different from each other in many ways other than their hair colour, but resembling each other so closely in genetic makeup.

Cain had been always been the calm one with the strong voice of reason- _before_ his infusion- Lilith reflected bitterly, whereas Abel had been the silent one whose voice was raised in argumentative tones when his perception of a situation differed from those around him.

Lilith had always been aware of their romance together. Although her feelings were edged slightly towards dislike, she had never advised them against it.

However, ever since Cain had been revived from the dead, Lilith had been having a slight uneasiness twisting itself painfully in her chest, as though she expected something bad to happen very soon. Realising with a sickening knowledge that her instincts never once deceived her, Lilith could only hope for the best.

When Cain notified her of him changing the venue of his physical examination from the Health Care Room to the Transportation Room, Lilith could not help but be more suspicious of the blond. His claim of it being more private for them to discuss the truth made her repress a snort. Cain could fool the world, but he could not fool her.

"What are you thinking about, Lilith?" Cain's soft voice intruded upon her thoughts.

Lilith's eyes stung with tears as she recalled the last time she had heard that same tone being used. It had been ages ago, when Cain was young with a heart of gold. Now, hearing him use the same tone with the strange singsong faintly detectable in his voice, Lilith could have shirked away from him. However, she steadied her senses and smiled back at him.

"The time when you were still young, Cain," Lilith told him softly.

She knew she had to play with her words wisely. It was a perilous situation she was in, alone with Cain in a room. Seth and Abel were nowhere near the Transportation Room; Lilith guessed that they were probably lounging in their own rooms, calling it a day. As Cain stepped into the space allotted for the machine to scan him, he laughed at Lilith.

"Do I detect a faint trace of nostalgia in your tone, dear Lilith?" he asked of her expectantly.

When she gave no reply, he continued talking. "Why should you be so sad? I'm still me," he said mischievously, closing his eyes momentarily as the machine scanned him.

When the machine beeped after the scan, Cain stepped out quickly, making way for Lilith to check on the graphs that depicted his body's progress. The moment Lilith's eyes skimmed over the shape of the graphs, which fell far from their normal shape, she stepped away from the screen in fear. Her eyes shot to look at Cain who smirked knowingly back at her.

"Strange, isn't it? How a single infusion could change a Crusnik in so many ways," Cain remarked lazily. Lilith stared at him accusingly.

"You knew that you _were_ insane, you only tricked me to lead me here away from Seth and Abel," she stated.

Cain nodded at her, swinging his head slightly to shake the golden bangs that fell over his eyes, all the better to drink in the shocked expression on her beautiful face.

"The thing I always liked about you, Lilith, was that you were always correct, regardless of what your hypothesis concerned," Cain noted to her.

As he took a step forward, Lilith remained rooted to the ground. Perhaps, thought she, this was the penultimate chance for her to discover know the truth of all that hitherto been unclear.

"Although I was _dead_," Cain accentuated the word, liking the shadow that flitted across Lilith's features. "I could hear everything. I could hear how you begged for Abel not to infuse me, saying it would turn me insane. Seth and Abel refused to listen to you, didn't they? Seth was so hysterical and she being the brilliant scientist refused to listen to an amateur like you, poor Seth, with my death replaying in her head again and again. As for Abel," Cain laughed at his momentary pause.

"Abel was so fiercely insistent on me being brought back to life. _Till death do us part_, indeed."

"Abel and Seth both loved you, Cain!" Lilith cried. "You were the reason they lived for, the joy that they allowed themselves to bask in everyday."

"Oh, and I love them too," said Cain dramatically, as though he was an actor prancing on stage. His gaze flickered to Lilith. "I even loved _you_, I believe," he said disgustedly.

Lilith flinched at his tone, and he suddenly advanced onto her, his fingers going around her neck, crushing her necklace into the softness of her skin.

"But what did I tell you previously in our little session before his?" he asked, his finger tracing her hairline. He brought her close, and whispered the words into her ear. _"Keep off what belongs to me."_

With that, Cain flung her across the room so forcefully that when Lilith's back came into contact with the solid wall of the Ark, a sharp cracking sound was heard. The interior architecture of the Ark was so impressive that the area, which came into impact with Lilith's body, had not a single dent. Outside the soundproof room, the corridor was empty and silent, concealing the battle that raged within.

Cain laughed out long and loud as Lilith struggled to her feet, the pain from her freshly broken backbone surging through her body, scorching her nerves with an unstoppable ferocity. Although the pain seared through her, her eyes only shone with anger, and not tears.

In less than a second, another clicking sound was heard as her backbone healed to what it was before. Cain then activated his nanomachines, letting his body take the change into his true form. He spread his white wings open, licking his lips maliciously as Lilith stood up strongly in front of him.

"Come on now, Lilith. Let's see your true form that you've kept hidden for so long!" Cain roared. Lilith merely shook her head at him in obvious denial.

"You're insane, Cain! You can't think properly!" she shouted at him. "And I can't let you be that way, even if it means that I have to kill you!"

Furious at hearing Lilith's words, Cain launched a destructive bolt of red energy at her. Lilith moved away quickly from the bolt, but extended her own hand towards the surging bolt, and let out a rush of power from her. The two powers collided, and cancelled each other with their opposing forces.

Cain's eyes were drawn to Lilith. She had taken on her true form, and she was as magnificent as ever during all the times he had seen her. Three pairs of blue wings emerged from behind her back, and her nails grew long and sharp, simultaneously appearing with a bone-curved sword she held in her grasp together with a slim membrane around her hands to defend herself. Immediately, a wall of UV light and plasma rays was built up around her to shield her from Cain's oncoming attack. Cain smiled in his victory.

"UV and plasma. Who ever would have thought of it?" Cain mused aloud. Lilith's hand swept the wall around her, letting it vanish at her touch. She lowered herself to the ground and her eyes were unforgiving as she flashed them at Cain.

"I thought that you would come to your senses once the war ended. I thought the love that Abel granted to you would be enough for you to forget your dreams of destroying all humankind," her voice softened as she reflected on Abel's gaze on Cain, and how gentle yet strong the love was the love he felt for Cain.

"But it seems that nothing is enough for you, is it Cain? When will you stop wanting for more?" she shouted, and channelled a strong wave of UV and plasma with her curved sword towards Cain's direction.

Overconfident that his nanomachines would be able to counter Lilith's attack, Cain only raised his defence slightly. It took him totally off guard when the force from Lilith's attack came hurtling towards him and knocked him almost unconscious.

When Cain staggered to his feet, another blow after another came on his body, and he could only see blurred flashes of Lilith wielding her curved sword, and only after she had rained countless blows upon his defensive body, only then did he realise that she had been cutting _through_ his body, slicing apart his flesh, hacking off his limbs one by one.

The nanomachines in his body could not carry out the process of regeneration completely, for each time the body healed one cut, Lilith would have run the same place through with her sword more than twice. Cain dropped down to the ground, a scream tearing out from his throat.

Lilith stood by his crumpled figure, her eyes betraying none of her emotions, her bloodstained sword in her grasp, with Cain's blood dripping off drop by drop like crimson tears.

"I could kill you now," Lilith whispered to him. "Why shouldn't I? You've done so much wrong, you've manipulated Abel who loved you so much, you've tortured Seth until she almost became insane from your death and from your doing had Abel not arrived in time to bring her back to reality, and you thought you could trick me.

"What happened to the past we use to have, when the both of were the voices of reason, and how we both calmed Abel's rages and Seth's evolutionary ideas with our words? Where has that past gone? Where has the Cain, whom I thought loved Abel so much, gone?"

"I'm still that person!" Cain cried out defensively, his eyes flashing red at her. "I _do _love Abel, but you think I don't know that _you_ do?" he snarled.

Lilith's eyes immediately narrowed, but she did not say anything. Cain's blood now stained the floor, and soaked the edges of Lilith's long robe blood red.

"Ha, I know, Lilith. I've seen the way you stare at him, and the way you stare at the both of us. Don't think that beautiful face of yours can ever convince me of your denial," said Cain. Lilith took a step towards him.

"Abel always loved _you_, for as long as I can remember! Yes, I do love Abel. And yes, I do envy the both of you. But have I ever tried to separate you? Did I convince Abel to come over to my side and aide the Terrans? I respected his decision, I only told to cease his blind killings, for he did not know that he was killing helpless people, because _you_ blinded him! You used his love to turn him into a cold-blooded killer, with the excuse of avenging you.

"If you really loved him, you wouldn't have pushed him to join the Contra Mundi! You would have been content that you were alive, and he was alive, and that would make you the happiest man in the world. But no, you just had to taint Abel's pure heart and still have the nerve to tell him that he means everything to you.

"Do you know why I chose Abel over you, Cain? No doubt you are attractive; no doubt people fall to their knees before you. Your smile, your radiance, your charm, it demands everyone's attraction. Unlike you, Abel was shunned. The twin, the insignificant one, the living storage, the violent boy, all of it was Abel.

"And yet, knowing the truth of his existence and the repulsive fate that awaited just because of you, he loved you. And he never stopped loving you. Hurting you has never occurred to his mind. He would do anything for you. You hide behind your smile when you troubled, you rarely show your true feelings, but Abel was honest and open. When he was angry, he'd show it. When he was sad, he wasn't afraid to cry.

"He was so pure, Cain. And what have you done to him?"

Unable to take in any more of Lilith's words, Cain lashed out his lance, wanting to slice Lilith into pieces. Lilith easily sidestepped him as his aim was off due to the consuming pain. She looked at him straight in the eye.

"Killing me isn't going to help, Cain. It will only worsen things," she told him. "That's why I've decided not to kill you. Abel won't forgive me if I did. And why should I kill the person I grew up with, the only family I have, you, Abel and Seth? War was war, but I still loved you like family. If we were in the war at this present moment, I wouldn't hesitate to kill you. You are my enemy, and I have every single right in the world to take your life. But the war is over, Cain. For now, you are Cain and I am Lilith. We are ourselves."

Lilith stepped closer to Cain, who was still hunched over in pain. "I know you're still inside there, Cain. Please, fight 01. Don't let it take over you. You have so much to live for, the world is at peace, and Abel and Seth are waiting for you. We can be together again. The shadowed past is gone, we must look forward to the present."

Faster than a blink of an eye, Cain's lance fired a strong beam of infrared energy and cleanly sliced Lilith's head off. But because it was done in less than a second, Lilith could still feel her awareness. She had seen it coming, and she blinked back her tears, knowing what awaited Seth and Abel. _I'm sorry, Abel,_ she wanted to say. _I did try._

"The only thing _I_ look forward to is possessing 04, your nanomachines," Cain whispered as he slowly got up, ignoring the excruciating pain that rushed through his body. Lilith only held his gaze levelly, not even flinching as Cain smirked at her.

"I did tell you," she said simply. Then, Lilith started to feel the pain, and she knew that she was now at death's door. With the last of her slipping strength, she drew air into her lungs, tasting her own blood as she did so. Blood sprayed out of her mouth as she breathed out the words in his ear, the words that would be his penultimate salvation.

"Nanomachines-" she gasped for a moment, "-Crusnik 01-" blood now trickled down her neck, staining her skin. "-80 limit diffusion-" her head slowly slipped off her neck, and the last word came out in a strangled voice. "Approved."

* * *

I rather like the title of this chapter, it's confusing;p Another terribly DARK AND BLOODY chapter!! My writing seems to be so dark nowadays, it's almost creepy, because I'm very happy in college now:) I'm so sorry for the terrible delay!! Lots of work, even sometimes I think that my secondary school gave me less work to do…:( but that's okay, I'll just go with the flow. I've got so many best friends, whee!!

Jhanna555: I knew you just had to mention sephy, miss cloud-and-sephy lover:D and yeah, it must be cuz I'm so influenced by FVII!!:P

Issylt: YOOO BABE!! Yeah, I've written this one chapter toooo!! Me miss ya rachie wachie! Eyy, my mail you tak balas!!:P and I lyk cain getting scarier, uahaaahhhh!! Actually, I miss the sweet one too…

GoddesOfWrath: you put it just the way it should be, dear:) bravo! Cain's 'loving' nature is even intensified in this chapter:)

Alythia: thank you soo much for reading my story, lovely when I get new reviewers:D I love the OST too!! Cain and Abel is one of my fave tracks, I think at some parts, it really fits in. and every character has its dark secret, that's the way I write them;p cuz they're so inhuman in their beauty and powers, so they've got to be human in some other ways;)

RoseOfSilence13: this is for you, dear! Number 13 up, heeehee!!:D thank you once again:)

Naturally morbid: yup, lovely and tragic is the nicest combination for meeee!! Don't worry, I'm suffering with the workload in college too!


	14. Chapter 14: Damashi Damasarete Tsunagu

Disclaimer: Trinity Blood or any of its characters belong to me.

Author's Note: A THOUSAND APOLOGIES!!!!!!!! Omg, I noe I've been delaying this for like what, months??? Argghhh, I'm so sorry… it's just that my college and course have been waiting till I stepped in, and then this whole plan of putting my nose to the grindstone and not letting me access the Internet for anything that could bring a smile to my face fell into place… But I'm swearing one thing, I won't EVER stop writing this story, I'm too in love with it to stop. Thank you for all your reviews and patience!! Hopefully, I'll update a long chapter to make up for my TERRIBLE delay… please enjoy!:D

* * *

**Silver and Blond**

**Chapter 14: Damashi Damasarete Tsunagu**

**(Connecting the deceived and the deceiver)**

Seth had backed away quickly towards the door of the Transportation Room. However, she did not look up to the DNA-verifying machine, hence the door did not open.

Abel had dropped down to the floor on his knees. His hands were dangling loosely at his sides, his breath coming out in short gasps. If Abel could have melted through the floor and vanish into oblivion, he would have done so in a heartbeat.

He could not raise his eyes to meet the accusingly similar blue gaze which betrayed nothing but devilish glee.

Cain did nothing but laugh at seeing the reactions shown by the two Crusniks before him.

In his hand, he held the head of Lilith up by her long red hair. Blood dripped continuously from the gaping hole where he neck was supposed to be. Then, Cain gracefully stepped aside to reveal the headless body of Lilith.

Seth gave another piercing scream when she saw the terrible sight. Abel shielded Seth away, determined to not let her see, but it was too late.

Seth had already collapsed to her feet and her tears now ran down her cheeks in fast streams. The woman she had secretly admired all the years she had lived, the only person who had dared to tell her that she walked down the wrong path, was gone in cruel flash of time.

Amidst Seth's woeful crying and Abel's stony silence, Cain's eyes roamed the perfect features of the Crusnik he had murdered. Even in death, Lilith still beheld the same beauty she possessed in her breathing life, perhaps even more beautiful.

Cain stroked the side of her face delicately, clicking his tongue as he did so.

"What a pity. You were so beautiful, Lilith. Why in the world did you make me angry?" he cooed at Lilith's closed eyes, as an adult would gently reprimand a child who made a mistake.

He was about to kiss Lilith's cold lips when Abel rose to his feet and pointed his forefinger at Cain in a warning gesture.

"Don't you _dare_ touch her!" he shouted at Cain, who then threw aside Lilith's head casually across the room with another chilling laugh.

A sound rang through the room as the head encountered the unyielding hardness of the wall and fell near Seth's feet. Covering the sharp gasp that issued from her mouth, Seth rushed towards Lilith's head and gathered it carefully into her arms, weeping onto Lilith's hair.

The blood from Lilith's neck stained Seth's spark white spacesuit, but she did not care. Her tears only increased and she slowly rocked herself back and forth, trying to make the pain go away.

Abel and Cain now faced each other as enemies would before the battle began. Cain had a lazy smile on his face, whereas Abel had gone white with anger. His hair nearly blended with the unnatural anger that paled his face.

"You _killed_ her."

Cain merely raised a perfect eyebrow as Abel grated the words out between his teeth. Cain ran a hand through his golden hair, leaving a red trail on his blond strands as he did.

Abel's eyes narrowed as Cain did so. Why were the wounds on Cain's body not healing? More and more blood pooled on the floor, but Cain simply acted nonchalant.

"I'm surprised you're talking to me this way, love," came the soft words out of the handsome blond's mouth. "Especially when you yourself committed so many murders of so-called _innocent_ Terrans," Cain's voice dripped sarcasm with every word he pronounced. Abel flared up instantly.

"I joined the Contra Mundi to avenge _your_ death!" Abel reasoned out strongly.

Abel's hands were balled up in fists, shaking with the pulsing waves of anger that coursed through his body. However, the words he spoke were thorns that made his soul bleed. "I loved you, I-"

"Oh, how touching," interrupted Cain mischievously, a smile on his face. "You did exactly I wanted you to do, you obeyed me without a single sign of hesitation," praised Cain.

Abel drew his brows together in a deep frown. He knew that what lay beneath the surface of Cain's mask was something so sinister. Cain chuckled quietly.

"My dear, _I_ was _Magus_."

The confession knocked the air out of Abel's lungs for the second time in less than an hour since he stood in the Transportation Room.

At hearing Cain's words, Seth's head jerked up. Although at first she did not fully comprehend the situation that took place before her eyes, the realisation that came to her within a matter of seconds was a sharp slap to her face.

Abel, who had recovered from his shock, could bear it no longer and gripped Cain's collar in a threatening gesture and shook the blond hard.

"Don't fool around!" he whispered sharply, ensuring his meaning was taken seriously. Cain put on a mock face of severity.

"You're angry?" Cain sang at Abel, taking delight in the many emotions that flitted across Abel's beautiful features.

"I _am_ telling you the truth, my pet," Cain said firmly. "The _Magus_ that previously controlled the Contra Mundi was an old man, an idiot with no vision, not to mention his abhorring lack of charisma," Cain paused, letting his features briefly take on a grimace.

"The Contra Mundi once contacted me when I existed as a peace-loving fool. Later on, after my infusion- _my enlightenment, my illumination, my awakening_- I told them I was more than willing to serve their cause.

"_Magus_ was someone weak and careless, I absolutely have no idea how the Contra Mundi lasted under the command of that brainless recalcitrant. I tracked him discreetly, and much to my surprise, I found out that he was an ordinary person in the Navy, not even a rank below us. Naturally, I killed him. Not that anyone in the Navy cared, for he had many enemies, that man.

"So," Cain's eyes glinted dangerously at this. "_I _took over, and was more than delighted to know that my beloved Abel bore a passionate hatred against the Terrans for killing me. And you were a magnificent killer, Abel. If only you'd listen to what they say about you in the Navy. They sing your praises, the Methuselah. And the Terrans cower away from gory details about you in fear."

Cain fearlessly let his fingers brush the side of Abel's face in an almost seductive manner, despite the obvious blue flames of anger that sparked in Abel's eyes.

"You were _revered_, Abel," Cain whispered into his lover's ear, his tongue flicking out to touch the soft flesh provocatively. "Come and join me, together we will take over this ship and rid ourselves of those idiots on that pathetic planet."

Abel, who had remained still all the time, now growled in a primal way at Cain. He pushed Cain away forcefully, backing away with a snarl. "You made me a murderer! You conniving snake!"

Cain laughed at this. "Call me what you want, darling!" he urged lightly. "Why should I take it seriously when I know it for _real _that hate is the last living emotion you would ever feel for me? You and Lilith were always good at condemning me, weren't you both?"

There was a gleam in Cain's eyes when he posed the question that followed. "Did you know, Abel, that Lilith loved you?"

This time, Abel only fell silent, his eyes revealing the torn emotions that battled within him. It was Seth's voice which pierced the uncomfortable silence.

"She _did_?" Seth whispered. Cain briefly flashed Seth a wide smile before returning his attention to Abel once more.

"She admitted it to me herself, and she has the nerve to say that she didn't take you away from me. Now look what she's done to you, she's turned you against me! But I _know_ you love me, darling. And I am now powerful, for I have absorbed 04," said Cain, his eyes flickering to Seth who held Lilith's head in her arms. Seth's glare was as sharp as any she could muster.

"You think so?" Seth asked very quietly.

Abel now looked fearfully at Seth, afraid that Cain would strike her down. But Cain only tilted back his head, opening a severe wound in his neck in the process, and the blood trickled down his collar.

Abel and Seth both grimaced at this, but Cain appeared to not have noticed, or felt any pain for that matter. Seth shook her head at Cain. "I know the nanomachines better than you do." Her tone held no trace of pride or arrogance, but it was flat, as though she was stating a fact.

"Oh what's the point of being _so_ clever, Seth, if you can't take actions on your own?" Cain mocked and threw up his hands at her. Seth only twitched slightly, but did not make a move.

Cain then fixed his blue eyes on Abel. "And you, Abel, you are very powerful. Yet you don't want to use your power. Don't end up as wastage like _her,_" Cain nudged his head towards Lilith's body. "Together, we can rule the world."

That broke the wall that held Abel's rage in check. Cain's face did not even change as Abel flung the insults in his face. He simply continued to smile as Abel vented out his anger. Cain knew that Abel would have never dreamed of hurting Cain.

The blond smiled in satisfaction, relishing how much control he had over Abel. _Love is blind,_ quoted Cain inwardly, laughing at the romantic that sprung up within him.

Seth watched most carefully what went on between the two men in front of her. If Seth ever recalled a time when Abel was angry, nothing could match what he displayed now. Cain did not even blink as Abel shook him so forcefully; it was a marvel Cain could still stay as straight as he stood now.

Seth looked around the room for a solution. She knew that deep in her heart, Abel loved Cain so much that the thought of waging a weapon against Cain was unthinkable. And Seth herself could not find the heart to kill Cain.

Nevertheless, she knew that Cain could only tolerate being shaken by Abel for only a while. Should Cain's rage be ignited- Seth stopped her thoughts just in time, shuddering at the possibilities of the outcome.

Seth's dark green eyes came across the controls that activated the Transportation Portal, only used for emergency exits, though the exits only brought death as they resulted in the body of a person imploded by the change in gravitational force and the high pressure when being thrown into space from the Ark.

Seth then looked to Cain and Abel, and saw that Cain's back faced the Portal, and was only a few feet away from stepping into the opening. Abel was still furiously shaking Cain by the collar, the latter simply smiling in amusement as Abel's voice came on strongly, heavy with angst and animosity.

Taking cautious steps away from Lilith's body, Seth inched her way towards the portal's controls. She was hardly three feet away when Cain's blue eyes tore themselves off Abel's and fixed themselves upon her own dark ones.

Cain raised his hand towards Seth, who by then had zoomed off to the controls using her supersonic abilities, and cried out,

"Abel, push him!"

At Seth's cry, Abel reacted automatically and pushed Cain forwards into the opening of the portal, and at that same moment, Seth turned the knob of the controls until the faint needle on the knob pointed to 'RELEASE'.

Two transparent glass doors rose and sealed shut around the portal's opening, surrounding Cain in an impenetrable barrier. Abel had been knocked off his feet from the force that came from the rising doors and from the sudden change in air pressure caused by the decrease in volume.

"Abel-niisan!" Seth cried out and rushed to him to help him to his feet. Abel got up hastily even before Seth had reached him. His eyes sought out Cain's, whose gaze could be seen clearly, even with the barrier of thick glass separating the both of them.

The few seconds that followed seemed like an eternity for the two Crusniks who held onto each other, while watching the blond Crusnik simply maintain his relaxed posture as the glass enclosed him. Seth and Abel stood before the closed doors of the portals, their eyes watching Cain.

Cain seemed to smile continuously, even as the air pressure around him experienced a drastic decrease. He did not even move towards Abel, nor did he appear frightened.

Seth's fingers wrapped tightly around Abel's, her heart full of emotions she barely could control. Seth was at first traumatised by Lilith's sudden death and shocked to know that Cain was insane. As if it was not enough for Seth to handle, she was met with the unbelievable revelation that Cain was the one who killed Lilith.

And now, Seth was barely aware that a few moments ago, she had activated the controls of the portal to release Cain into outer space, or worse- Seth thought with a shudder as she looked at the blue-green surface of the Earth that seemed not too far off- dropped through the atmosphere of the Earth.

The strange circle Cain stood on then separated at the borders, slowly allowing the airlock to come into direct contact with outer space. Cain looked to Seth and gave her a playful smile, and when he turned to Abel, a kiss was blown in the silver-haired man's direction.

"You will never escape me, Abel," mouthed Cain. Right after Cain had said those words, he was launched out of the airlock. Abel and Seth both rushed to the window, watching Cain's progress through space.

Seth, despite herself, gave a cry of anguish as Cain's body erupted in a ball of flame as he plunged into the Earth's atmosphere.

Abel was at a loss for words, and his body went rigid as he witnessed the scene that took place before him. Within him, he could hear a scream of an agony so painful that it cut a deep gash through his heart. It was as though he was plunged into a sea of acid, and could not do anything as his skin was eaten away.

_My other half, _thought Abel, _I have killed him, thus I have killed a part of myself. His pain is shared by me. With his death, a part of me dies too._

Abel and Seth watched the ball of flame slowly disappear from their line of vision. They stood by the window, staring in shock and disbelief at what they had done. There they stood for a few minutes, not moving.

Seth's mind was too full of emotions that she could barely configure the exact one she felt.

Abel, on the other hand, heard the same sentence echoing in his mind again and again.

"_You will never escape me, Abel."_


	15. Chapter 15: Furishikiru Aozora no Namida

Disclaimer: Trinity Blood or any of its characters belong to me.

Author's Note: To all my reviewers, you guys ROCKKKKKKK!!!!!!!! From now on, I'll be replying to your reviews straight away to your inbox, it'll be better that way:) but I'll list down the lovely names, I love you all so much, seriously. I mean, I looked at the reviews, and it was like the sun brightening up my day:) I really meant for this chapter to be posted up sooner, but I was outstation for a few days, and the bloomy hotel had no wireless:( such a wet blanket on my happy mood… nevertheless, I know that the last chapter was quite short, so I decided to make it up with this chapter, yayyy! Read, and enjoy!

Oh, regarding the title, I absolutely love the song Aozora no Namida, sung by Hitomi Takahashi in the anime Blood+. It's really a beautiful song, but I didn't listen to it while writing this chapter, but somehow, it seemed relevant… Abel's eyes are symbolised by a clear blue sky, and there's much sorrow in this chapter:( I know, i really wanted to make this chapter happy, but i don't think anyone would be happy, especially when you've just lost two people you love, gomen, abel!

* * *

**Silver and Blond**

**Chapter 15: Furishikiru Aozora no Namida**

**(Tears flow down from a clear blue sky)**

Vatican Crypt

Abel walked into the empty chamber cautiously, bearing the shuttle in which Lilith's body lay with much care. His eyes scanned the area, and were very much relieved to find no sight of intruders. His gaze rested upon a raised plateau, in which there was a small hole in the ceiling through which light streamed in.

Abel hefted the shuttle with all the strength he could muster onto the plateau. He then sat the shuttle on the ground and stared at Lilith's face through the transparent cover. Abel felt his heart constrict.

Lilith had never looked so peaceful in her life, her arms folded delicately over her chest, her mouth gently tilted upwards at the corners with her eyelids closed over her brown eyes, which used to shine when she still lived.

Tears started streaming from Abel's blue eyes as regret and sadness washed over him just at the sight of Lilith's dead body. He knelt down to the shuttle- no, _coffin_, he corrected himself- and stared once more at the body of the beautiful woman with dark red hair tumbling over her shoulders.

As Abel laid his head on Lilith's coffin and started to weep, the previous scenes on the Ark after Cain had been pushed out of the airlock replayed in his mind once more.

_Abel remained rooted in his spot by the window, even after Seth had rushed back to attend to Lilith's dead body, even though she was well aware that there was nothing she could do. Abel stared at the Earth, his thoughts going back to the ball of fire that had recently formed upon friction with the atmosphere. _

_Did he really kill Cain? Abel could not bring himself to admit it. The very person he had loved- _still_ loved- had burst into a ball of flames and disappeared. _

_The sound of Seth's gentle weeping brought him back to the Ark. His sister was now crouched over Lilith's body, and her small frame racked with her deep sobs that issued from her throat. _

_Abel took a few steps towards Seth and Lilith, and then paused to look out the window. He felt torn between Cain and Lilith. He loved both of them, and one of them was confirmedly dead, whereas the other- Abel took a deep breath at this- had died by his own hand. _

_Abel found himself dragging his feet towards Lilith's body. Seth looked up at him, her eyes shining with tears, her fingers curled around Lilith's unmoving ones._

"_Abel-niisan," she breathed out his name. _

_Abel knelt by her side, his eyes beginning to tear up as well. Lilith had died, and it was because of him. He had not been quick enough to realise the error in what Cain had said, and had blindly believed in Cain just because-_

_Abel bit on his lip painfully. It was his entire fault. It all began with Cain's death, and then progressed to Cain's infusion, followed by the many deaths of the Terrans he murdered, and now Lilith was dead. It was the price of his folly, of his ignorance, and of his carelessness. _

_Abel threw back his head and let out a long cry of despair. He wrung his head in anger, pulling at his hair harshly. _

_Seth, who came to realise what Abel was doing, leapt away from Lilith and encircled Abel in an embrace. She laid her head on his shoulder, her tears falling onto his spacesuit. She buried her face into his silver hair, crying with him. _

_Together, they remained there for a while, sharing their pain and sorrow, taking the weight of their actions upon their own shoulders. Seth slowly withdrew her arms from around Abel's neck, and stared into his eyes._

"_We must be brave, Abel-niisan. We must keep on hoping," she said encouragingly, her eyes looking at Lilith's severed head. _

_Abel disentangled himself from her took Lilith's head back to her body, desperately trying not to look at the gaping chasm between her head and her body._

_But Abel could not do so any longer, and simply stared in shock, Seth's words sinking into him. Cain had killed Lilith. _

_Abel turned to look at Lilith guiltily, noting that she would have looked asleep had she not been dead. He picked Lilith's limp body up and carried her in her arms. _

"_Abel-niisan?" Seth inquired, not choosing to hide the inquisitiveness in her tone._

"_I'm going down to Earth," Abel stated flatly. _

_Seth rushed after him as he approached the door that led to the space shuttle they normally took during trips to and from the Earth._

"_You can't!" she protested strongly. She tugged on his spacesuit. Abel looked her in a way most melancholy. He felt so bad, irresponsible even, that he had not given Seth a thought._

"_I'm bringing Lilith down to Earth. She always loved the Terrans, and I'm sure her final wish would have been for Earth to be her final resting place," said Abel in a low voice that still contained determination. _

_Seth still had not taken her eyes off him. It shocked both of them when the screen opposite them came to life. The dark screen then disappeared to reveal the face of the General._

"_To Major Cain Knightlord, Commander Abel Nightlord as well as Lieutenant Augusta Vradica, it is with great sadness that I announce the surrender of the Methuselahs. However, the Alliance Aerospace Navy extends its most heartfelt gratitude for the contributions by the three of you." _

_The transmission then ended. Abel simply shrugged right after the last word had been pronounced and looked up into the machine that scanned his DNA, as well as Lilith's. _

_As soon as the machine beeped the affirmative, he stepped into the space shuttle. It took him completely by surprise when Seth hopped into the shuttle along with the both of them. _

"_What are you-" Abel did not even finish his statement as Seth shut the doors close behind her. She put on haughty odds with her tear-streaked face and dishevelled appearance._

"_Don't even try to stop me," came out her voice in a tone that left no room for argument. Abel wanted to argue with her, but with Lilith so frail in his arms, he could not bring himself to. "Even though at times, I hated her and I think she hated me, but I still loved Lilith-kaasan as much as you did, and I'm coming with you."_

_The journey had been one of the longest they had ever experienced, the other being the journey when Abel had taken Cain's body back to the Ark to infuse with nanomachines after the fatal accident on Earth that claimed his life. Abel realised that it had been twice since he carried a dead person in his arms._

_Seth had barely been able to control her tears and cried out unashamedly on Lilith's body, whereas Abel had stroked Seth's back gently, his own tears streaming down his face. During their journey, Seth had looked up from crying over Lilith, her eyes bloodshot._

"_Abel-niisan," she called him. He looked at her expectantly, trying his best to contain the endless stream of tears down his face. "I've got to tell you something," she began. _

_Abel raised his eyebrow at her, and Seth's hand went into her pocket and she withdrew a capsule with a sigh. Blue eyes widened as he recognised the dark purplish colour._

"_You-"_

_Seth nodded at him, her eyes downcast. "When we were on Mars, when I first found the original Ark, I took this capsule in secret, because I wanted to conduct a research on it. I took a Bacillus capsule too, but I left it behind in Mars. For some reason, I chose to keep the Crusnik nanomachines. I did not tell you about this when Cain was about to die, because I could not explain to you, you were too wrought with grief. And I wanted to see if he could regenerate by himself, but I was wrong. _

"_Did you not notice, Abel? He may have been 'dead', but he wasn't. He still had nanomachines, and it enables regeneration on any part of the body. Cain did not have enough nanomachines to regenerate his own head. But Lilith, she was infused with 100% Crusnik nanomachines, the advantage she has by being a prototype with a body adapted for a 100% fusion. That's why she was able to attain her true form."_

"_Are you telling me that Lilith is not dead yet?" Abel asked hopefully. At his question, Seth slowly shook her head._

"_I'm sorry, Abel. But Cain has absorbed 04 into his body. She cannot regenerate."_

_After Seth spoke, she took out a syringe from the lapels of her clothes and filled it with Crusnik nanomachines before looking at Abel expectantly. Abel narrowed his eyes, not liking Seth when her mind was that of a scientist, and no longer a normal person. Seth sighed at him._

"_I know what you're thinking. But if you want to continue what Lilith has been fighting for all this time and protect this world, you'll need more nanomachines than you presently have. I'll infuse myself as well, just to be safe, but I'll give you more."_

Abel stared up for a moment from his crying over Lilith, surveying the area. It was a lonely place; one would not expect such a place to be in a Terran city. Abel recalled how he had gotten himself there. Seth had cried by his side, wanting to go with him, taking back the words that she had said in the space shuttle.

It had been a dark night, and when they had landed the shuttle in a river, no one had rushed to the scene to instigate the discovery of the cause of the sonorous splash.

Abel had been fighting his entire will to break down with Seth and mourn over Lilith. Seth and Abel had stood before her body in the shuttle, looking at her face through the transparent cover. It had been heart wrenching, and Seth had been more than unwilling to leave.

But Abel knew that Seth could never fit in a Terran environment, and he wanted to be alone at that moment more than anything. Seth had to be comforted, coaxed and even reprimanded by Abel. Finally, she gave in to his persuasions.

Before she left, she had jumped into his arms and hugged him tight. Her warm tears had wet his shoulder, but leaving no stain on the white spacesuit with the blue lining. She had pulled away and looked into his blue eyes with her dark green ones.

"I've lost a brother once, Abel-niisan. Don't let it be the same for you," Seth had said, with her voice somewhat gravely from her crying. "Hopefully, when we meet again, things will be better," she had said wistfully, staring at Lilith's face in silent adoration.

With a final tight hug around Abel's waist, her voice had come out muffled, "I love you, Abel-niisan."

Abel breathed out slowly in the shadows of the empty chamber. Nothing but pillars adorned with a gothic architecture witnessed his sorrow. His sigh echoed relentlessly, magnifying the despair of the owner. Then, it was silent. In that period of deathly silence, one could have even heard a pin drop.

Abel looked to Lilith, his face showing the most of emotions he had ever displayed in his life. He had never imagined that a day would come when he looked over Lilith's body. Somehow, the thought of death had never crossed him when he had been a child, and that way had remained so until he matured to become an adult.

To Abel, war only brought the deaths of the Methuselah and Terran soldiers. Never had he imagined that a Crusnik could be killed, and the two people of the three that he loved most in the world had died. One had been brought back to life, and killed the other. Abel's form succumbed to a shiver, picturing the scene he had not seen. It was simply unbelievable.

Abel's blue eyes rested on the serene face of Lilith. If it had been truly impossible for Cain to kill the woman they had loved most in their lives, how in the world did Lilith perish? Abel buried his thoughts and took a deep breath. His fingers unconsciously stroked the smooth surface of the coffin.

"I never got to tell you how much I loved you," he began a little slowly, as if Lilith was alive, and sitting in front of him at that moment, listening to the words he said. Abel touched the transparent glass cover, as though wishing to touch Lilith's hand.

"You had always taken care of Cain, Seth and myself without a single moment wishing you were at something else. I always rebelled against you, fought down your words, but somehow- you never- _tired _of me. You- you could have silenced me, but yet, you never did.

"You loved the three of us all the time, even though we perceived many things differently from you. Our scruples, our reckless dreams, our unrelenting wishes, you coped with it all. And yet we never got a chance to tell you how grateful we are for you, Lilith.

"I promise to you now, I won't let another innocent person die," Abel said resolutely, pausing a while before continuing with a tone that conveyed much regret. "I'm sure that if Cain were here, cured of his insanity, he would have never given a thought to the notion of extinguishing your existence."

Abel looked up to the sky, as though Lilith could have seen him by her side, wishing with all his heart that she could hear him. "He loved you, Lilith. We all did. You were the voice of reason during our periods of conflict. I'm so sorry," Abel was unable to control a sob from escaping his throat.

"Forgive me, Lilith!"

Abel plunged his head down onto his folded arms rested above the coffin. Tears streamed out from the corner of his eyes. For once in his life, he let himself be taken over by the immensity of his sadness.

All his life, Abel had never given in to tears, he had always thought them a sign of weakness. He had shown it to no one, but Abel had to breathe in very deeply at this _Cain._

Abel felt his eyes sting even more. Abel wept hard the moment Cain's beautiful face appeared before his eyes, the streaming blond hair, the carefree smile, and the captivating blue of his eyes. At that moment, Abel wept for many things.

He wept for Lilith's death, and his carelessness at not being able to protect her during the last of her perilous moments. He could still hear the words she had last said to him, and that comforting, warm smile and the way her fingers had glided smoothly over his.

He wept for Seth, alone and traumatised from Cain's abusive torture and Lilith's brutal, sudden death, and perhaps at that current moment, Seth was wandering through the empty, blood-spattered roads somewhere. Abel could only imagine the sight of her own tears spilling over her cheeks, her small frame racking with the deep sobs that came from her throat.

And Cain- _his_ Cain- who broke apart into a thousand pieces upon encountering the Earth's atmosphere, while Seth and him had looked on. But Abel knew that once upon a time, Cain had been for him as he had been for Cain. They had once loved each other, and Cain had always been following the way of peace.

Had that Cain disappeared just as Lilith had died?

Not even Abel's endless tears could have answered that question. In desperate hopes of palliating the guilt and melancholy that clawed within him, Abel wept and wept and wept.


	16. Chapter 16: Kasanaru Omoi Kokoro

Disclaimer: Trinity Blood or any of its characters belong to me.

Author's Note: Thank you so much for the inspiring reviews!!!!! I'm so sorry to leave out Abel and Cain (since this is mostly from Seth's narration, I couldn't be unfair to her, she needs to have her part too), but I promise they'll come back in the next chapter, those hotties;p

Ohh, and the title of this chapter is in the honour of my INSPIRING song for the year 2007, when i was having my national exams (yikes, the horror of it *shudders*), BLAZE by Kinya, from Tsubasa Chronicle!

* * *

**Silver and Blond**

**Chapter 16: Kasanaru Omoi Kokoru Tsukisasu Kodou **

**(Tangled Emotions and a Heart-Piercing Beat)**

_**The Era after Armageddon**_

Palace of the Empress, Byzantium, The New Human Empire

Seth looked heavenwards as the airship flew right over her. She took in the sudden gust of wind that came ruffling her clothes and her short hair by closing her eyes and savouring the surge of nature's power taking place around her. She heard a delighted sigh coming from behind her.

"I do hope they'll be able to convey our message safely," said Mirka Fortuna, Head of the Imperial Privy Council from behind her.

Seth graced her lips with a smile. Of course, she knew very well that Mirka was praying for the well being of her grandson aboard the airship. Seth had no objections against it, for she too was praying for the safety of one she loved.

_Abel._

It had been around 900 years since the last time they had met. Seth still remembered their tearful parting, as she last gazed upon Abel. He had stood there, silent and cold in the moonlight, the silvery white light highlighting the uncanny likeness upon Abel's hair. As his white spacesuit with blue lining had been blown gently by the wind, Seth had thought she saw tears flying away form the corner of his blue eyes.

She had seen the shadow of sorrow and doubt written upon his face. Abel had been hurt so deeply, Seth knew it, although he never admitted it to her. He had taken the brunt of the responsibility of Lilith's death, and had not considered Seth's words. He simply laid the blame upon himself, despite Seth's protests.

Seth frowned slightly. She had known it had been impossible to convince him regarding Cain's newly found insanity, and her claims had been staked upon a few dismissible events. It had been natural for Abel not to trust her. Even Seth herself, could not acclimatise her mind to grudgingly accept the fact that the woman closest to her in her life had been murdered single-handedly by her own brother.

A soft chirping from a bird brought a smile back to Seth's face. Hope was always there when an element of goodness was present, and at that moment, Abel was the beacon of hope Seth pledged her wishes upon. When she had first seen him in those 900 years that had passed, Seth could hardly believe what she saw.

He had changed so much. She was both surprised and pleased to know that he had sworn allegiance to the Vatican and had become a knight. A slight giggle escaped her lips, remembering how differently he looked when he wore glasses.

He looked somewhat kinder, and his features seemed to be easily melting into a smile each time he found something amusing. His silver hair had been pulled back into a ponytail on his head, bound with a black ribbon. He had switched his otherworldly spacesuit for the black robes of a Vatican priest. He even changed his surname to Nightroad.

When Seth questioned this, a shadow had fallen across Abel's face, and he reasoned out that he no longer wished to be bound to the name of Nightlord, which bore terrible secrets of bloodshed, betrayal and loss.

But he still retained his silvery beauty, Seth noted. She had not seen any person, be it a Methuselah or Terran who could boast the porcelain-like complexion of Abel's skin. It was simply flawless and pale, not even a blush had ever risen to his cheeks, as far as Seth had witnessed.

Seth felt a warm feeling rising up in her chest, happy that she had such a wondrous person for her brother.

No sooner after they had exchanged their heartfelt greetings after being denied contact after the many centuries, Seth found it advisable to tell Abel the dreadful truth that had been plaguing her all along. Seth had been keeping in track with the progress of her kingdom, and knew it as a definite sign of trouble when she found a small, unwelcome stirring among those in her court.

Sulëyman, her favourite courtier, had betrayed her, but Seth knew very ashamedly that it was due to her not fulfilling her promise to promote coexistence between the two races in her Empire. Seth loved Sulëyman very much, and his death had affected her in more than one way. If Abel had not come, Seth would not have hesitated to jump off the high cliff before her palace.

When Abel notified her of the Rosen Kreuz Orden, an organisation that had one aim that never swayed, that was to destroy the world, which was all Seth needed to confirm the truth of her suspicions.

A wash of memory flooded her thoughts, enshrouding her in the time past.

"What_?" Abel had cried out to her. _

_Seth gave an involuntary jerk, nostalgia overcoming her. She knew when Abel had last used the tone. It had always been the same, precise intonation when the matter regarded Cain. Seth saw the rush of anger to his face, but she stayed firm. She looked at him with a gaze that left no room for doubt. _

"_I'm sorry, Abel-niisan," was all that Seth could say when she saw the man with silver hair before her did not waver under her sharp gaze. _

"_I only came to the conclusion when you told me about the strange motto that resurfaced during your past assignments. Don't tell me that there was a Methuselah of the Contra Mundi who lived from the time of Armageddon up till now. It's simply implausible," Seth mused. _

_Abel did not move from his position, but the glare in his eyes seemed to sharpen. Seth thought that she had acquired some fierceness during the time of her reign, but it seemed to be unable to work under Abel. Always the elder brother and the younger sister, Seth thought miserably, humouring in the thought for a moment before turning serious as Abel's expression hardened. _

_Gone was the cheerful Vatican priest who laughed among his comrades, and there stood a Crusnik, beautiful yet terrible in the expression of stoicism._

"_I will kill him," Abel said resolutely. Seth felt as though someone had pierced her heart. It was an unthinkable thought, to kill the other brother she had. And for Abel to execute it-_

"_No! No, you mustn't!" she cried out, hoping her words would be taken into his consideration. Seth tried to organise her thoughts, grasping them futilely as they flew into her mind. "You should just find a way to-"_

"_He's behind the Rosen Kreuz Orden!" Abel cut her off sharply, his words coming forcefully. He ran a hand through the long, silver bangs that fell over his forehead and banged his head slightly against the tree he had been leaning on. _

"_I never realised! How could I be so stupid- _through fire, nature is renovated whole-_ It was _him_!" Abel's eyes bore into Seth's, shining with a promise that could not be broken. Seth still tried her luck with him, for she pulled at his arm, as a fruitless effort to sway his decision._

"_You'd only bring more destruction, Abel-niisan. Be thankful that he's not really been doing anything-"_

"Thankful_?" The tone Abel used was as if he had tasted something bitter in his mouth. His expression was sinister, and his voice taking on the tone of sarcasm. _

"_He will strike, Seth, I know it! Look at what he's done to you, to your people; he's turned them against you! He almost brought you to your death and you're saying that we should be _thankful_?" Abel asked incredulously. _

_Events of the many tries of Seth's assassination flashed through his mind. Seth flinched as he said his words, but her childish face held a look of guilt._

"_Actually, it _is _my fault, Abel-niisan," she admitted ruefully, much to Abel's surprise. "You do not know, but I still cannot comprehend this concept of coexistence that Lilith fought for. Why should I equalise Methuselah to Terran? Isn't it obvious, when you have greater abilities, you will defend those weaker than you?" Seth asked Abel._

"_Only some perceive it that way, Seth." Abel said slowly. "But we cannot put Terran lower than Methuselah, after all, were all Methuselah not Terran before you infused them?" _

_At Abel's words, Seth's mind flashed a cruel past back to her. _It is my entire fault, _she whispered inwardly_, I infused them.

"_And most Methuselah do not hold Terrans in high regard, don't they?" Once more, Abel's words stung at Seth. _

"_Some do," Seth corrected, bitterly thinking of Sulëyman and Shahrzad, and how intense her dislike was towards them. _

"_You still cannot adapt yourself to it, can you?" Abel asked softly. Ashamed, Seth hung her head as she shook it slowly. Abel then laid a soft hand on her shoulder._

"_I couldn't adapt to it either, at first. But then, when I think of her," Abel spoke, and looked out at the beautiful horizon before them. "I tell myself, I've got to do this. She believed in it, therefore it must be a worthy cause."_

"_How?" Seth inquired with her voice carried by the wind. Her green eyes rested on Abel's blue ones. "How can I believe in what she did? I am not she."_

"_I didn't ask you to be her," Abel comforted, making a smile appear on Seth's lips. "But I'm asking you to stop the segregation of Methuselahs and Terrans in your citadel. Let them mingle with each other, who knows, someone might be able to bridge that gap created centuries ago." _

_Abel then paused for a moment. "And cease the experiments, Seth," he reminded. At this, Seth's head swivelled to face Abel, a terrified glance showing through her eyes._

"_How… Do you know?" Seth asked slowly. Abel smiled a little knowing smile and patted his sister's head affectionately._

"_You're a scientist, Seth. You might fight in battles as well as any soldier can, but that's not where you wish to belong to, don't you? You see life in a scientific perspective, just as you see your people. You think that the relationship between Terran and Methuselah has a higher probability of not turning out with good results therefore you consider it taboo. _

"_Science and figures don't determine life, Seth, but love and emotions do. Even if there were a small chance of us succeeding in a war that would bring peace, would you still fight? I would, I care not of probabilities. What matters is that I've taken the step, and it's up to others to follow, as long as I've executed my responsibility. _

"_Face the facts that the Methuselah can never have what the Terrans have, and vice versa. They are different, but at the same time, in a strange way, they are equal. Tally up their advantages and disadvantages, they create a perfect balance. All you need to do is just give yourself the chance to believe in that possibility."_

_A thoughtful silence followed Abel's words. "Then, Cain won't kill me, will he?" Seth's small voice came out._

_At the mention of Cain's name, Abel's expression darkened but his heart constricted when he saw the indecision and helplessness that was portrayed on Seth's face. However, as quick as the expression came, it vanished. _

_Abel suddenly drew Seth close to him and embraced her long and tight. Seth was shocked at first, but soon came into the circle of his arms, taking in the affection she had not experienced for a very much long time._

"_I can't lose you. Not after Lilith, I just can't," Abel said firmly, laying his head as low as he could in order to rest it upon Seth's own. Seth felt tears springing to her eyes before slowly trickling down her cheeks. _

"_You can't do it, Abel-niisan, I know you can't!" Seth still continued to protest vehemently. "You_ loved_ him! How could you kill the person you love?" she asked of him, seeing the way his eyes widened when she emphasised on the statement that rang true to his soul. _

_Abel looked away for a moment, struggling with his own rising emotions, trying to dismiss the cursed vision of the beautiful face he knew so well, those long blond strands-_

"_He killed Lilith! I won't forgive him!" Abel cried out angrily, ridding himself of the vision that visited him countless times. Seth clung onto him relentlessly, her eyes shining with determination._

"_Then I'll come along with you," she said quickly. "I won't let you go alone. Together, we'll both fight Cain, Abel-niisan." _

_Strong dismay welled up within her when Abel shook his head at her, declaring his unchanged objection._

"_No," he said quickly, leaving no room for her to argue. "You'll stay here with your people, they need you." _

_At Abel's words, Seth could no longer control herself. Her anger bubbled up and soared to her heart, igniting it with spirit._

"_What makes you think you don't need me? I'm not weak!" she shouted out. "I'm a Crusnik just like you, Abel-niisan, I'm not a child anymore-"_

"_I don't want you to die!" Abel shouted. "You're all I have left! I've lost both Lilith, and Cain, I can't lose _you_!" _

_The birds stopped chirping at the sudden outburst given out by Abel and Seth. The wind even stopped blowing, making it seem as though time had stopped its continuum, leaving both of them to quell in their mixed feelings. _

_Seth and Abel had sprung apart, hands balled into fists, eyes fixed obstinately on each other. Seth was shaking with rage, whereas Abel was firm with his anger. Finally, their fixed stances relaxed, and Seth was the one to speak first._

"_Abel-niisan," she said slowly, as though trying to make him comprehend her meaning. "You'll very likely get killed. Cain is strong. The only reason why he did not show himself during the past 900 years was because he was weakened. _

"_Remember, Abel-niisan, our body can only hold a specific amount of nanomachines or it would take a heavy toll on our stamina. By absorbing 04 from Lilith's body, Cain weakened himself. What more from the wounds that Lilith inflicted upon him, his regeneration process is slowed. If Cain had not absorbed 04, he would have made it through the atmosphere. _

"_But now, my guess is that his body can't regenerate by himself, and that he must have an accomplice maintaining his progress. But still Abel-niisan, Cain can achieve 100% fusion, as he's already insane. You and I cannot do so without sacrificing our mental awareness, unless you have a very powerful mind and a strong heart. You don't know what lies in wait for you.."_

_Abel could not help giving her a very small smile, touched by Seth's intimate concern. Her voice echoed the same tone that the one Abel loved had used so many centuries ago. Abel welcomed the rush of memory, and was grateful of its evanescence. _

"_I'm willing to die, Seth. If that's what it takes to avenge Lilith, I'm willing to do it," Abel told her. _

_Seth's eyes glittered with tears that did not fall. Abel saw her turn about sharply, presumably hiding the falling of tears from her eyes. When she turned around, her expression was serene._

"_Just promise me you'll return?" she asked hopefully, not even believing her own words. _

_But she loved him so much, and the thought of losing Abel was the last thing Seth ever dreamed of. Abel was everything to her, now that Lilith was dead. Abel smiled back at her, filling her heart and his with hope._

"_I promise."_

"Empress," a soft voice called out to Seth.

Seth was instantly snapped out of her stupor and turned to Mirka, a smile painted on her face. The tall woman with long blonde hair was staring at her with a small smile, her posture patiently expectant. Seth gave a little sigh.

Mirka was everything an Empress should be. She had the beauty that demanded attention and respect, just as a monarch should possess. Even her poise was regal, and her height and gracefulness could capture a person's attention in just a single glance.

Mirka bowed deeply before Seth. Seth controlled her mouth muscles with much will to avoid grinning childishly. In all her regal beauty, Mirka could have been a believable figure of an Empress. Seth stole a look down at herself, scrutinising her small and immature body, which very much resembled an urchin's.

"It's time to attend the Council meeting, Your Majesty," informed Mirka. Seth gave a light nod of her head, a sign of agreement.

"You go first, Mirka. I'll stay here for just a while," Seth told the woman.

However, Mirka did not leave as Seth half-expected her to. On the contrary, she moved closer to Seth, the swaying of the fabric of her fine robes giving a light rustling sound. Mirka held her hands together respectfully in front of her.

"May I know what bothers you, Your Majesty?" Mirka asked in her soft voice.

Seth could not help herself from smiling at Mirka. Somehow, Mirka always made her feel secure and made Seth believe that telling her would ease her worries. The corners of her mouth quirked upwards in a smile, remembering how close Abel and her were.

"It's only the irony of what a little perception could cause," Seth said hollowly, her mood becoming sombre. Mirka's smooth ivory brow creased a little.

"Does it concern your brother, Empress?" Mirka posed her question.

_Abel-niisan_, Seth silently whispered.

Mirka was the only person in the Empire whom Seth revealed the whole truth to. Seth found it essential to at least let one of her loyal subjects know the truth behind the strange events that took place. The seriousness of his face came into her mind once more.

When Seth did not answer, Mirka smiled. She knew that that single thought could have been the only thing to ever cause the strong-willed Empress to become silent, contemplative and thoughtful. Mirka thought to change the direction of the topic of conversation, not wanting Seth to be even more immersed in her troubles.

"He's very handsome," remarked Mirka, the cheekiness in her tone unmistakable. True enough, Seth let herself smile.

Mirka had to agree that Abel was indeed one of the most beautiful men she had ever seen in her life. She had never seen someone who had a beauty so uncanny as Abel, for there was no other man but him who had silver for his hair, porcelain for his complexion and the blue of the sky for eyes.

Seth, on the other hand, thought of the times they had spent together on the Ark. She and Abel had always been those who raised their voice in ignorance and rebellion, whereas Cain and Lilith had always been the ones who spoke of peace and hope. Seth closed her eyes and saw herself during the many years back, tugging at Abel's spacesuit, demanding that he carry her on his shoulders.

"Thank you, Mirka," Seth whispered.

She looked out at the citadel, admiring the view of the skyline from the heights of the palace. The Empire was so beautiful, yet so perishable. Without the technology that prevented the dangerous ultraviolet rays of the sunlight from striking the skin of the Methuselah, Seth knew her people would vanish like bubbles upon the ocean.

So many of them, thought Seth, yet it only required one single thing to destroy the whole population. They were so vulnerable, the Methuselah, for all their enhanced abilities and long lifespan compared to the Terrans. Seth turned to Mirka, wanting to ask about the working condition of the Shield, but when she turned around, Mirka was no longer there. Only a pillar of air stood by her side.

"Empress," echoed Seth unconsciously. It had been so long a time since she had become the Mother of the Methuselah.

It had not been so hard, Seth recalled wistfully, convincing the Methuselah to leave their bloodthirsty and fighting roles and instead take up the forms of responsible citizens. The only thing that had truly posed a challenge to Seth was to control herself from overruling the Terrans and refrain from conducting her experiments.

But Abel had requested it, and Seth loved her brother very much. There were countless times when Seth wept alone, wishing for the company of Abel. It had taken her all her might not to abandon her throne and leave her people to fend for their own. And at that present moment, Seth wanted to do nothing more than to fly to the Vatican, defying Abel once and for all, and giving him all her aid to defeat Cain.

Nevertheless, Seth loved Abel more than anything. He was the only thing that anchored her to her place, which gave her the strength and hope to continue to govern her people, leading them to a life of everlasting happiness and security. And for him, Seth fought her own voice in an inner battle that raged within her mind.


	17. Chapter 17: Anna ni Issho Datta no ni

Disclaimer: **Trinity Blood and its characters do not belong to me.**

Author's Note: Once again, your reviews brighten up my day:D guess what, I got the disclaimers for the past few chapters all wrong!!!:S oh dear, so now, I've highlighted my disclaimer, and I apologise profusely to anyone who thought that I've actually offended Sunao Yoshida:(

Oh yes, the return of Cain and Abel:) the title of this chapter's from the famous Gundam SEED ending song, Anna ni Issho Datta no ni, sung by See-saw. Oooh, I fell in love with this song from the moment I heard it… Anyway, enjoy!

* * *

**Silver and Blond**

**Chapter 17: Anna ni Issho Datta no ni**

**(We used to be so close together)**

_The Vatican, Vatican City, Rome_

Abel stepped into the bathroom, feeling the rush of coldness that ran through the nerves that started from his sole, across the vast synapses, all the way to meet the interneurones that resided in his brain.

He closed his blue eyes for a moment, letting the strange chill run up his skin before he shed the clothing he wore. Piece by piece ended up on the floor, and when Abel finally took off his glasses and released his long silver strands from the restricting black ribbon, a long sighing sound drifted through the cold dry air.

Without even giving a glance at the body-length mirror that hung on the wall to his left, Abel stepped into the shower and leaned his bare body against the icy tiles of the wall. Closing his eyes, he let the fatigue embedded within his muscles slowly ease out of his body through the surface of his skin that came into contact with the cold surface.

Moments later, he felt something untangle within him. Only then, he reached out his hand and turned the tap for hot water on without seeing. Immediately, a rush of warmth and liquid pounded on his vulnerable body, biting on his skin, turning the pale shade to the lightest hue of crimson.

Abel then slipped his fingers into the silver mane that fell down his shoulders past his waist and slowly began to ease the few tangles in his hair.

The sound of the fast current of water, the igniting warmth that flamed through his body, and the silky softness of his wet air against his flushed cheek created a hypnotising effect on Abel. His mind shut itself away from reality and instead, images started to appear.

A young girl with short cropped blonde hair and grey eyes appeared before him, and he could still see the light shining off the pure droplets of tears on her cheeks. He remembered how she had ran into the dark crypt, and saw him bending over the space shuttle, with tears that never ceased flowing down his cheeks.

And in those grey depths, he saw blood, tears and death. And when he protected her, his hand had wrought the same destruction that had left a permanent mark upon his face centuries ago.

Then, the image of the young girl flickered slightly and was replaced by the tall effigy of a mortal goddess with shining golden curls tumbling down her shoulders, her eyes the same grey he first saw during their introductory encounter, and her lips as red as the cloak of a cardinal that she wore. Caterina.

That was how he saw her, as the frightened young girl who had risen him from his seemingly eternal lament to the beautiful enigmatic leader he swore his loyalty to now. For her, he had taken on the same vow that Lilith had taken when she turned her back upon the three Crusniks.

And he now walked the cold footsteps left behind by her.

In that lonely path, he had met Esther, and he had seen the same things that had been mirrored in Caterina's grey orbs; blood, tears and death. Esther had sinned, but Abel knew that none could sin as terrible as he had. At that moment, he only believed that Caterina knew the ugly, hidden side of him like no one else did, not even Esther, although she knew of his Crusnik form.

When he had first met Esther, the first thing that had caught his notice was her red hair. To say that Esther was at par with Lilith was crude, for Lilith had been the sky when Esther was the earth. But something in her seemed to echo what Abel had seen in Lilith. And he was undeniably drawn to Esther, although he himself did not know what attraction it was.

Then, something old and buried started to eliminate the face of Esther from his mind, and it took a turn that Abel dreaded.

Abel's hand quickly reached out to switch off the flow of hot water, and instead reached out to turn the cold-water tap on. The effect was immediate and excruciating. There was only a brief intermission when he could hear the last drops of hot water from the shower hit the ground, and then another rushed river flooded him, except that this river was icy cold, as the other had been scalding hot.

The cold not only numbed Abel's senses, but it froze his thoughts. He was caught in the dark abyss, the point where his mind ceased to wander and hid itself away in the comforting darkness. But Abel knew that the feeling he felt was only a temporary salvation, a tourniquet becoming loose, and he knew he had to rise to the surface where the cruelty of the world was only too obvious.

The flow of water slowly ceased, and Abel felt numb and unwilling to move. But he forced himself off the cold wall he leaned against and slowly made his way out of the shower. He stared down at the floor all the time, with his silver strands covering his eyes, blocking him off from the bright light of the bathroom. And then, he took three steps to the front, before he turned to his left and stood directly in front of the mirror.

It took all of Abel's courage to find the strength to lift up his head and stare at himself blatantly, reflecting in the shining glass. Naked and unprotected, his blue eyes flickered constantly with an unyielding sadness. At that moment, he looked so fragile, like a thin piece of glass, shattering under the slightest pressure. _And I am_, thought Abel.

He touched the surface of the mirror, not feeling the chill under the skin of his palm. _My heart feels like breaking, but it can__'__t. I still see him._

Abel then touched the hair that fell down his forehead, soft and wet. When he felt the unnatural smoothness, he was immediately thrown back to a time when there had been only one person who touched his hair with a painful tenderness. He felt the long fingers stroking his silver strands, and the warmth that suffused from the person's hand would leave a light trail down his cheek, serenading him in the fragile sensation.

Then, Abel touched his cheek. The pliant softness of skin against skin, the brief ticklish feeling of golden eyelashes sweeping against his cheekbone, all rushed back into the halls of his memory. And lastly, the most painful remembrance, the light graze of his lips against another's, drifting into his eyes as the images conjured themselves.

Cain and him standing on the highest hill, watching the sunrise, their fingers intertwined with each other as the both of them stood against the world. It had been Abel's most precious memory, during the fateful day where Cain's blood had rained upon the soil of war.

"_You will never escape me," _Abel echoed to the emptiness around him, as Cain's little smile floated up into his mind.

Since their painful parting, Abel had never seen Cain. But his beloved's disappearance in form did not prevent Cain from haunting Abel's dreams. Did Cain bleed when he had encountered the Earth's atmosphere? Abel let himself shiver at the horror, wondering what it felt for one's limbs to disassemble involuntarily and then explode into impossibly tiny fragments.

Was there blood raining down from the sky when Cain had fallen? Abel did not know what else to imagine, he could only bite his lip so hard until a trail of blood escaped through the corner of his mouth, and then travelled in a straight line down his neck, over his collarbone and staining his pale chest.

"I… _can__'__t…_ escape you anyway," Abel said shakily as he laid both hands on the mirror to support his trembling body, now overcome by emotion. The stinging warmth of tears now invaded his eyes as the nostalgia grew more and more powerful, threatening to vanish the remnants of his sanity.

Then, Abel gazed up at the white ceiling, envious at the untarnished purity, he longed to see the sky mirror the same shade as his eyes. He longed to touch, to feel, and to taste that which had been forbidden to him. It could never be, but Abel could not liberate himself of it.

Like a prey trapped in the sticky, silver silk of a spider's web, he struggled futilely, and only ended up encompassed in the imprisoning silkiness and further away from the world.

"I was always yours," he whispered to no one.

_Orden Headquarters, Berlin_

Cain opened his eyes to feel liquid glide over his eyeball slowly, and he saw a warped world of blurred figures and mixed colours. Cain only smiled at this, not even bothering to blink even when he felt the natural sting that reached his central nervous system. Ignoring it leisurely, Cain stretched out as he waited for the irritable thing that was clamped fast over his mouth to be detached.

There was a faint sound of a hand plonking into the water, muffled by the voiceless song of the water's melody, and when Cain felt the vague warmth stroke his cheek, he could only smile, awaiting his emergence. The airtight mask then came off, together with the taste of frozen air from his lungs.

Like every occasion when he was submerged underwater within the _status_, he blew bubbles first, delighted in the way the white irregular shapes slowly ascended before him and disappeared when they came into contact with the water surface. Only then did Cain propel himself upwards and shattered the smooth, undisturbed surface of the water with his head emerging first.

A slight chuckle was heard from his side, and Cain found himself looking into the dead, flat eyes of Isaak, the sole reason of his present existence. Cain smiled brightly as he gripped the edges of the giant glass cylinder before jumping out of the water and landing on his two feet casually on the ground.

He looked around and delighted in the bright light that highlighted the utter perfection of his anatomy, bare for the world to feast their eyes upon, and to envy. Cain brushed away the golden strands that obscured his vision and looked at himself reflected in the polished steel of a large generator situated a few feet away from where he stood.

Unknown to Cain, he then did the very same thing that Abel had done a few hours ago. Cain walked towards the generator, touched the reflective surface with his palm and savoured the icy chill that drifted through his nerves. A gentle wind kissed the mild warmth of his skin, and gave him the barest of shivers.

"Behold your utter perfection in the mirror, Cain-sama," sang Isaak from behind Cain. The latter let a tiny smile appear on his lips as his spidery sense told him that Isaak's eyes did more than just examine the data shown on the screen.

Cain chuckled and spun around, letting his wet strands send droplets of water across the room. Looking over his shoulder, Cain marvelled at his own body once more. The scientists who had created him were truly masters of art, as he took in his tall, slender build with slight musculature.

And then, Cain stared at his own face, with eyes that whispered of the sky behind the clouds, and finally to his pride and joy; the wondrous mane of gold that shone with the light of the sun. Cain drew the wet golden mass into his grasp and firmly wrung his hair until his head felt less heavy than it did before.

When Cain had finished, he tossed his golden hair over his shoulder and let it dangle down his back, the far ends of it tickling the back of his thighs. There was no need for a comb, for his hair was free of tangles regardless of its condition. Smiling at the gifts bestowed upon him from birth, Cain ran his fingers through his hair quickly.

"There shall be a gathering today," came Isaak's deep, sensual voice from the corner of the room. His eyes rested on the clothes hanger where Cain's clothes hung from.

However, Cain walked past the hanger, dismissing the sight of his spacesuit from his mind. At several occasions, Cain loved the feel of the air on his bare skin, together with the attention fixed upon his naked body. He came closer until he stood by Isaak's side and analysed the data on the screen together with the Methuselah who held the rank of _Magus_ in the Contra Mundi.

"10 hours," Cain murmured softly to himself. Isaak however, had caught his words and awarded Cain with a smile.

"Your body is improving day by day, Cain-sama. Even your regeneration shows a positive progress," informed Isaak. Cain let his face take on the lightest of frowns.

"What can I do with 10 hours?" Cain asked mockingly. Isaak did not even take Cain's words as an insult, but merely continued to smile at Cain. He carefully touched Cain's shoulder, and only at that spot, not wanting to touch any place else.

Cain was gifted with his seductive manner and his stunning beauty. But Isaak knew better of it. Although the blond Crusnik flounced himself here and there, there had never been a single occasion where the members of the Orden had dared to make their move on him. Perhaps, they had glimpsed the beast resting within the seemingly peaceful blue of Cain's eyes.

Occasionally, Isaak would catch sight of Cain and Helga in dark corners of the Orden Headquarters, with Cain pushing Helga against the wall with the full force of passion and lust, their lips locked together, their fingers undressing each other. And Cain never stopped smiling, though the sweetness of his smile was heavily laced with the purest of poisons.

Isaak saw past it all, and he could only hope that Cain was merciful enough to not unleash his terrible rage upon the Orden as Isaak had seen him do many times before.

"One needs merely a second to kill another," replied Isaak, inwardly relieved when Cain smiled in reply to his words. "And regarding the gathering, Cain-sama, we-"

"I shall share all my knowledge regarding the _Blueprint of the Gods_ during the meeting to the members of the Orden, Isaak," Cain cut him off smoothly, but Isaak took no insult from it.

It was the nature of Cain to command subservience and have the final say in any situation. After all, recalled Isaak, Cain had been a Major in the UNASF army and the leader of the Red Mars Project. He had been one with great power, and even though his regeneration was severely weakened, Cain slacked in no other way.

"As you wish, Cain-sama," Isaak's deep voice resounded, and the Panzer Magier slowly took his leave from Cain, taking slow steps and slinking away into the darkness. Cain trailed Isaak from the corner of his eye, but did no move until he felt Isaak's existence completely fade from the room.

Only then did Cain stretch his limbs languidly, and eye the _status_ with much distaste. He hated the feeling of it, the water closing in around him, the glass wall separating him from the rest of the world and the mask that clamped over his mouth. He was treated almost like a specimen, as he had been so many centuries ago.

Cain gritted his teeth as he thought of Abel, walking around freely, not having to worry about suddenly collapsing or having his limbs dropping off out of the blue. And Cain had seen how Abel had been coping nicely with his life during his short visit to the Vatican that night.

_Abel stared out into the moonlight, his stance relaxed, his consciousness solely focused on the alabaster paleness of the moon. Cain wanted to rush towards Abel, to tear off Abel__'__s black priest robes, to crush the spectacles beneath his heel, to set free the beautiful silver strands of the confining ribbon and to kiss Abel like he had during their last time on the Ark. _

_But the blond__'__s desperate dreams were shattered when a stunningly beautiful woman with thick golden locks for her hair and garbed in the brightest crimson that marked her status as a cardinal, came out of the cathedral and stood beside Abel. _

_Cain__'__s eyes narrowed as his vision zoomed in on her. She was breathtaking, and Cain felt his heart clench when he caught the soft tone of Abel__'__s voice on the wind. During their time together, Abel had only used the impossible softness of his voice with Cain. But now, Abel spoke to the beautiful cardinal using the same voice, as though she had stepped into the empty place in his heart where Cain had once been. _

_Just as Cain was about to fuel enough hatred within himself to destroy her when the time came, a young girl with hair came rushing out, her nun robes a pure white lined with blue. Cain__'__s eyes widened as he looked at her closely, in contrary to his previous reaction with the cardinal. She had red hair. _

_Cain flinched as though someone has slapped him, because in his mind rose an image of a tall woman with her dark crimson tresses flowing down her shoulders, her dusky complexion enhancing her ethereal beauty. If Cain had listened to what his heart whispered, he would have set off for Berlin immediately, as long as he placed a considerable distance between himself and the girl. But the threads of curiosity held him fast and he observed the faces of the three who stood in St. Peter__'__s Square. _

_The girl had her deep blue eyes fixed on Abel, her expression unmistakably of affectionate liking, which bordered on something that displeased Cain greatly. The cardinal, on the other hand, had her steely grey eyes on the young nun, her lovely features twisted in a scowl. _

_At seeing this and Abel__'__s faked unknowing expression, Cain wanted to laugh out loud. _Look at how many fall for your beauty, Abel. They cannot resist.

_Looking up at the night sky and basking in the moonlight, Cain drew in a breath of the chilly night air slowly, liking the way his lungs started at the sudden drop in temperature in the air he inhaled. Then, Cain fixed his blue eyes once more on Abel, who was engaged in a conversation with the redheaded nun. _

_The blonde cardinal glanced between the nun and Abel, attentively listening. Then, when Abel spoke to her, a smile beautified her lovely face. Cain smirked lightly._

"_Their beauty will fade away, Abel," he whispered to the cold wind. "But yours and mine will last through the ages."_

_With a last look at the silver-haired priest, Cain took off into the air. "One day, you will be mine, and mine only." _

* * *


	18. Chapter 18: Hito wa Odori Tsukareta

Disclaimer: **Trinity Blood and its characters do not belong to me.**

Author's Note: Whee, reviews, reviews, glorious reviews!!!!:D And another chapter here, featuring the calm before a storm… well, not really calm, considering the kill-

Abel: SHHHHHHHH!!!!! You're ruining the surprise for them all!

Cain: *sigh* what a blabbermouth. I'm ashamed to be written by such a person…

Aesya: Hey, it ain't fair!! I've like, allocated 70% of this story for PRAISES FOR BOTH OF YOU and you just called me WHAT????!!! You son of a-

Abel: Umm, Aesya, we don't have parents…

Aesya: Oh, I forgot darling, sorry… -smiles at Abel, earning a VERY big glare from Cain-

Cain: What did you just call **MY** Abel? -fuses with his nanomachines-

Aesya: -laughs nervously- ehehheeeehee… oh!! The story! Yupyup, okay, gotta go now, byeee!!!!! –ducks for cover, while Cain runs after her, with Abel looking at the whole scene X_x-

Oh, and the title's from the song Kopperia no Hitsugi from Noir:)

* * *

**Silver and Blond**

**Chapter 17: Hito wa Odori Tsukareta Ningyou**

**(People are dolls tired from dancing)**

As Cain made his way to the place where the meeting would be conveyed, he could not help smiling. Finally, Isaak had brought good tidings to him. His body was pronounced stable enough and mobile without having to use the _status_ anymore. Isaak had ensured that Cain was in the fittest of his conditions before they set off for their special mission.

However, should Cain exert himself, he would weaken. Should a last-case scenario present itself, Cain required Methuselah blood to sustain his body's mobility and agility, as well as his nanomachines.

Cain leaned back against his soft chair in the meeting room with easy grace, as he awaited the arrival of the other members of the Orden. One by one, they filled up the empty seats, their faces grave and sombre. A slight chuckle was heard to his right, and Cain found himself looking into the fragile beauty of the Marionettenspieler.

So beautiful was Dietrich that Cain could not resist from looking away at times. It was a gift of God to the last person on Earth who deserved it, the beauty of Lucifer himself. Alike to Lucifer, Dietrich possessed the rhythmic beating of evil coursing through his body, and his blood was heavily tainted with the numerous sins he committed.

Yet, one could not believe the embodiment of perfection Dietrich's face beheld. Perhaps, thought Cain, the reason behind the strange attraction he held towards Dietrich was caused by the latter's heavenly beauty, which masked the ugliness of his sinful nature.

As though feeling a pair of eyes on him, Dietrich scanned the room and locked gazes with Cain Knightlord, the first of the Crusniks.

Unable to prevent what was happening, Dietrich gave a genuine smile to Cain, which the latter replied with a breathtaking smile. For Dietrich, Cain was the saviour of the Orden, the very reason they prevailed. Through his charisma, the Orden went to depths they had never gone to, and Dietrich never did feel so exalted in his life than to be under the leadership of one so proficiently perceptive.

Cain was strange, for his sky blue eyes were impenetrable as a solid wall, barring all access to glimpse the memories within. But Dietrich did not bother unearthing Cain's past, for Isaak had taught him to put the future as the main priority, rather than focus on what was done in the past or present.

Each person worked to achieve a better future, and memories only delayed time. For that, Dietrich did not care about his past or what methods he used in the present to achieve the bright future promised by the Orden's motto.

"My respected companions and accomplices," came Isaak's smooth voice. "Here we gather to discuss a most important matter that plays a crucial part in attaining the true aim we have all craved for."

"_Igne Natura Renovatur Integra._"

The sacred sentence, which was first spoken by Isaak was then echoed by all who were present in the room, and the sound of the archaic words struck a chord in Cain's heart. It had been the same motto that the Contra Mundi during Cain's reign as _Magus_ had used.

"Recently, the word of an existing laboratory which was purely built using Lost Technology that lies deep in the soil of Albion has reached my ears. I have come to discover that the specific location of this laboratory is beneath a Ghetto in Londinium."

The room stirred with whispers among the members, and some even dispersed into little groups of discussions. Only Cain, Isaak and Dietrich remained at their own seats, not bothering to exchange words with the others.

After a few minutes, the hushed chatter died down, and the Neumann brothers slowly lifted their heads to stare at Isaak, as though demanding an explanation. Gracefully, Isaak raised his hands in the gesture of a conjurer before addressing the room.

"My friends, I wish to inform you that this laboratory contains the very key to the Earth's salvation…" Isaak then let his voice trail off, and Cain repressed a chuckle when Helga leaned forward eagerly in her seat.

Even Dietrich's eyes flickered meaningfully to his mentor, although his beautiful face showed no trace of emotion. The boy from Germanicus was marvelled by many for his stoic nature and his proficiency in schooling his emotions, impressing both Isaak and Cain.

"Evolution."

The word once more sent tremors across the room, and once more the members of the Orden huddled together in their respective groups. But the discussion had a shorter period this time, for many were awaiting Isaak's words. Much to the surprise of many, Cain took the lead.

"Imagine a genetic structure so perfect that the world would kill for," breathed Cain. As though captivated by his windy voice and the eyes that visualised a shining future, the room fell silent. Cain then continued.

"The person who carries it will be the first perfect human to walk upon this Earth, bearing the gift of a long-life, enhanced mental and physical abilities, and a durability to plague and diseases."

Melchior von Neumann suddenly stood up, his eyes flashing dangerously at Cain. "And how are we to believe that your words are true? Promises spew from just about any person's mouth, but how many are them are truly kept?" asked the mysterious man.

Cain laughed out loud at this and stood up from his seat. Taking long strides, he walked over to the end of the room and stood by Isaak's side. "You don't sound very convinced, Melchior. Your words bear a strong taste of distrust and doubt."

Then, out of the blue, Cain's expressionless beautiful face broke into a smile. "But I like you, nonetheless," he said, his blue eyes gleaming at Melchior with the secrecy that lay behind his cheerful demeanour.

The Orden drew in a breath, looking at Cain's illuminated beauty. Isaak merely smiled at this, but called upon the attention of the members by speaking again.

"This genetic information is essential to our cause, as I call it the _Blueprint of the Gods,_" Isaak voiced, supporting Cain's claim. At hearing Isaak, Melchior sat down but eyed Cain with undisguised suspicion, despite the latter's mysterious smile a few moments before.

"With this acquired information, a new race will be born upon this Earth. Not Methuselah, but not Terran either. A superior race. This race shall walk in the sunlight, be immune to silver, possess many abilities and live a life as long as a Methuselah's."

The room then held its breath, as a result of Isaak's visualised words invoked many visions before their very eyes. Each of them pictured a world absent from discrimination, segregation and war. This was the future they hoped for, the future they killed for.

"And where," came a soft voice. "May I ask is the proof of your claims?" The cool and calm voice ultimately gave away the identity of Balthasar von Neumann. Just as Isaak was about to answer, Cain stepped forth and gave the Methuselah a wide smile.

"Why, my dearest Balthasar, _I_ am the very testament."

"But Cain-sama!" a female voice emerged from the gasps and exclamations that followed Cain's simple spoken sentence. Cain's eyes then whirled to meet the face of Helga von Vogelweide, whose eyes were full of meaning. "How can this be? If this laboratory is still buried and uncovered-"

"Eishexe, it was built long before Armageddon started," Isaak explained. The members drew in a breath, awaiting his continuation. Isaak closed his eyes before resuming. He looked at Cain momentarily.

"You all must know that Cain Knightlord is a Crusnik. But before he was infused with the Crusnik nanomachines that gave him his powers, Cain-sama was _genetically manufactured _in a laboratory similar to the one in Londinium."

"Then why don't we go to _his _laboratory? Why do we have to go all the way to Albion?" asked a random member, daring enough to pose a question to the Panzer Magier. However, Isaak only lifted his shoulder in a fluid motion, startling people with his gentle grace and ease.

"That's because you're standing on what's left of _my_ laboratory." Cain said curtly. "Believe it or not, I was created in this place, in Berlin. But some fools destroyed during the battle of Armageddon."

"_The_ Armageddon?" Kaspar von Neumann asked incredulously.

Cain had to resist from rolling his eyes. Sensing the tension that was quickly filling the air that circulated around the room, Isaak cleared his throat, calling for the attention of all.

"I merely relayed this piece of information to you because I shall need the aid of those who master Lost Technology," said Isaak. "I cannot do this alone."

The members of the Orden merely exchanged glances, though none stood up. Finally, a man stood up in the corner, his face hidden by shadows. This brought a smile to Isaak's face.

"Very well. I shall travel to Albion with Cain-sama and my Adeptus Major Guderian," announced Isaak, politely inclining his head to the man who had stood up previously. Guderian gave a subtle nod, and then moved to follow Isaak.

"Do you want-" Helga started to say, but Isaak had already raised his hand as though he saw her words coming.

"It's all right, Helga," spoke Isaak, glancing at her. "The knowledge that rests within the three of us is sufficient to infiltrate the Ghetto to retrieve the _Blueprint of the Gods_. You shall stay here with the rest of the members."

Helga glanced longingly at Cain before nodding at Isaak's words and turned away to talk with the rest of the members who had stood up from their seats and were carrying out discussions.

Dietrich was the last to stand and he walked casually towards the place where Cain, Isaak and Guderian stood. His eyes sought out his mentor's at first, before resting on Cain and Guderian later on.

"You shall take the responsibility of the Orden in my absence," told Isaak.

Dietrich nodded, his face impassive, but his eyes conveying their unspoken meaning. Taking Dietrich's silence for his understanding of the situation, Isaak turned about his heel to leave the room, and was followed by Guderian. Cain however, remained behind, his smile etched on his face.

"I don't think you came here to see us off," Cain surmised. Dietrich let a small smile take place on his lips, amusing himself with Cain's comment. He shook his head.

"No," said Dietrich, his face a portrait of delicate beauty. "I wanted to ask you about the laboratory in Londinium. Who was created there?"

Cain smiled almost mischievously. "I think you know him very well. We share the same genetic structure. Therefore it would not be too difficult for you to identify him, would it?" Cain asked simply.

Dietrich narrowed his eyes at Cain's statement, and Cain knew that the Dietrich already had the answer in his hands. With that, Cain turned away from him to leave. Then, Dietrich's voice came from behind him, and Cain could not help smiling so widely at Dietrich's words.

"The only thing that differentiates him from you is his hair. It's silver."

/scene shifts/

If Cain had thought that his departure with Isaak and Adeptus Major Guderian would be quiet and unnoticed, he was certainly in for a great shock.

Cain, Isaak and Dietrich held a small private convention in one of the many rooms in the headquarters, just to exchange a few words before they set off for Londinium. Guderian was not present, for he had been placed with the responsibility to oversee their mode of transportation before they departed from Berlin. Isaak was a rather meticulous person, and faults were the very thing he could not tolerate.

As soon as the door was closed, Dietrich looked to Isaak, and was about to mouth something when a gentle knock came at the door. The three pairs of eyes in the room all focused on the door. Isaak gave a sigh before lowering himself into a chair.

"Come in," the Panzer Magier called out. Cain and Dietrich too took their seats opposite Isaak, with Cain on the right and Dietrich on the left of Isaak.

None of them expected Helga, one of the other members to hold the rank of _Magister_ in the Order of the Magi besides Dietrich, to step gracefully into the room, and her eyes fixed themselves on Cain first before looking at Isaak.

"Ah, my lovely Countess, do you not see?" Isaak asked by way of greeting Helga. "Cain-sama and Dietrich wish to speak with me awhile before we leave for Albion."

Helga only stood her ground and held Isaak's gaze for a long time. "I personally would like to pose a question to you, _Magus_."

Isaak smiled at her, noticing the way her posture had changed, and the way she gripped the staff she held tightly. His smile was the very calm before a storm. Dietrich observed his mentor's unnatural calm and looked to Cain, who also shared the same smile worn on Isaak's face.

"What exactly is your motive of retrieving the Blueprint of the Gods?" she finally asked, her eyes narrowing. "Answer me truthfully, and not with the answer that you gave in front of the other members a few moments ago."

A low chuckle came from Isaak, while Cain hid his smile by letting a curtain of pale gold fall across one side of his face.

"For someone with beauty like yours, you certainly are sharp, Eishexe," remarked Isaak casually.

This set Helga off, for the first time in the eyes of Dietrich. He had known since she walked in alone, that it would be more than mere pleasantries exchanged, but something much deeper. Even the way Helga posed her question blared off an indication that the rules of the Orden were to be breached in the very room they stood on.

"Don't avoid my question!" Helga raised her voice.

Isaak only leaned himself against his seat comfortably, while the smile stayed on Cain's face. If only Helga had looked, she would have caught a glimpse of the heartless monster she had thought was worthy of her love. She pointed a finger at Isaak, her eyes flashing.

"_You_ want the _Blueprint of the Gods_, not because it has something to do with our cause, but because you are fascinated with the creation of the Crusniks, and you wish to replicate the very same results to form an Orden of your own. And after you've attained what you crave for, you'll push us away and discard us, I know you, and you've always been drawn to what you cannot achieve.

"You're simply using Cain-sama!" Helga screamed at the Panzer Magier, or Isaak Fernand von Kampfer, who laughed out loud as she pointed her accusing finger at him. Cain watched from his chair, his eyes darting between Helga, Isaak and Dietrich. The Puppet Master only took in all that took place before him with a face that betrayed nothing.

A self-satisfied smile formed on Cain's face. He knew Helga's infatuation for him would spell the end of her. No one could slake his burning desire, save for one person. A beautiful young man with silver hair appeared in his mind.

"Helga, do calm down. I understand not what you seem to imply," replied Isaak smoothly. However, his stance was ready to attack, as Cain saw that his hand was flexed; ready to activate the Arrow of Belial, Isaak's most deadly weapon.

"You're monopolising him! You're just using him to attain your aims!" came Helga's shrill voice again. Isaak threw back his head and gave a long laugh.

Cain on the other hand, had to repress the even louder laugh, which was rising to his throat. How twisted Helga's statement was, thought he. If only she and Isaak knew that in fact, it was Cain who had been monopolising them all the time. Cain was not interested in the dark visions of the Rosen Kreuz Orden, although he had been admittedly active in the Contra Mundi during the time of Armageddon.

To Cain's observation and evaluation, the Orden would have faded almost immediately should a fateful calamity befall Isaak. The other members had no charisma or spirit to carry one what they had set as a primary target, which was the ultimate control of the world and the destruction of humankind.

True enough, the members possessed remarkable powers, but they were hardly capable of taking control of the reins in the absence of their leader.

"Based on your groundless accusations," Isaak was stating. "I presume you won't be following my orders anymore?"

Cain watched as he held his breath. Helga's deafening screams with vulgar words in each sentence suddenly stopped as though someone had put a cork in the mouth of a bottle to stop the continuous flow of wine. Helga's face paled considerably at Isaak's enquiry.

However, she bit on her lip to stop herself from giving another incredulous exclamation and nodded firmly. Cain laid his head back in a relaxed pose, knowing what to expect next. Before Helga could give the Winter Maiden staff she held in her hand the lightest of swishes, Isaak had used the Arrow of Belial, his most feared attack, to pierce through Helga's unprotected form and robbing the unfortunate Methuselah of her life.

She gave a piercing shriek, which echoed in the walls of the Orden's headquarters, and writhed in agony before finally collapsing on the floor, a permanent expression of horror mirrored in her unseeing eyes. Cain closed his own blue eyes and savoured the sweet taste of accomplishment. Isaak had executed his dirty business, as he always did.

Cain had always detested Helga's look of adoration each time she looked at Cain. Had she known, or witnessed with her very own eyes, how beautiful Abel or even Lilith was, she should have known for the start that she did not even qualify to be a contender to the beauty of the two Crusniks. Cain heard Isaak give a low chuckle once Helga had stopped moving, a sign that confirmed her death.

"Helga!" a voice suddenly cried out.

Cain looked up and saw Balthasar von Neumann, the artistic Methuselah of the Orden, burst through the door and rush forth hastily to Helga's crumpled body on the floor. Gently gathering her form in his arms, he shook his head with staccato-like movements, not believing what had just happened in the few moments that passed.

Cain was just about to offer his magnanimous condolences, and play the innocent person when Balthasar sprung up from where he kneeled by Helga's side and rushed towards Isaak. Balthasar had not even drawn his power when the Arrow of Belial robbed him of his life just as Helga had been robbed of hers.

Balthasar blinked once, then twice, and finally collapsed on the floor beside the dead body of Helga. Dietrich's face then took on an expression of curiosity, and not horror at seeing the two dead bodies standing before his mentor.

"Traitors," Isaak said with a voice that was meant to sound regretful, but Cain could hear the faint note of satisfaction behind his tone. "Eliminate them, and our cause will be realised," he told Dietrich, who nodded at the wisdom of his mentor's words.

"What of the Neumann brothers? What shall I inform them?" Dietrich asked. Isaak merely smiled and brushed his long hair away from his face. His dark eyes were full of malicious intent.

"Tell them that their beloved brother Balthasar has broken the sacred trust of the Orden," answered Isaak, his voice deep with dramatic sorrow. The Methuselah lifted up his long robe and stepped widely over the two dead bodies, his face portraying a mild expression of disgust at the puddles of blood that had been spilt over the floor. Cain then gave a fake sigh, looking at the state of the room's floor.

"My liege, forgive me for making you witness such a _misunderstanding_," Isaak said, eyeing the two bodies on the floor.

Cain then fused with his nanomachines, and let his form change accordingly. The moment his change was complete, the blood that came from Helga and Balthasar's body was absorbed into Cain's own body. His eyes turned redder, and he licked his lips in the sensation of his hunger been quelled.

Dietrich and Isaak both watched as the corpses turned paler and paler, and their skin finally settled into a shade too pale compared to the colour of ordinary corpses. Cain gave a long sigh and allow his body to change back to normal. Dietrich stared at the corpses that were drained of all blood. The floor was clear once more. Isaak made a small sound to avoid the uncomfortable silence from prolonging.

"And we move on to our plans for Albion," said Isaak. "Dietrich." Isaak's protégé immediately gave his mentor full focus, and waited for Isaak's commands.

"Ensure that nothing close to _this_-" Isaak's eyes looked to the corpses on the floor before continuing, "-will occur when I am away." After speaking to Dietrich, Isaak bowed before Cain once more.

"My lord Cain," he addressed the smiling Cain, who was now more than willing to perform any task given to him with his body's operating system at an optimum level. "You shall ensure that no foolish person will stand in our way…"

Isaak's voice trailed off at this, but he suddenly froze for a moment, his mind thinking. "And for Abel-sama-"

"Oh, have no fear. Abel's fall will be for _me_," Cain said resolutely, daring to cut off Isaak's words.


	19. Chapter 19: Mitsumeyou masshiro na iro

Disclaimer: **Trinity Blood and its characters do not belong to me.**

Author's Note: I apologise for terribly late update!! This week has been a real hectic time, clearing out the college books my senior left for me.. but this is also the _longest_ chapter I've written:D

Cain: -pouts- Abel…

Abel: -sighs- yes?

Cain: I miss you, really darling. -walks over to Abel and sits in his lap, inching closer…-

Aesya: -screams- what are you _doing_? Good grief, get a room, _PLEASE._

Cain: Well, if only _someone _written a scene for us-

Aesya: If only that _someone_ had more time… -rolls her eyes at Cain- oh please, can you just be patient, this part is essential.

Abel: -shrugs Cain off- It's okay, I don't mind waiting. After all, it'd be worth the wait. -flashes his SWEET smile at Cain, Aesya, and the readers-

Cain: -gasps in outrage- A_bel_!

I've recently grown crazy over Kyou Kara Maou! I'm stalking crunchyroll like crazy, hoping that all the 39 episodes of Season 3 have been completed:S so, the title of this chapter is from the fun song, Hateshinaku Tooi Sora Ni, sung by The Stand Up! I've been addicted to this song for weeks, I just love the noise and rhythm;)

* * *

**Silver and Blond**

**Chapter 17: Mitsumeyou masshiro na iro**_  
_

**(A pure white colour that seems to glare)**

_Londinium, Albion_

Abel did not know how long he sat there, in the small cafeteria located just beside the hotel they had checked into. The rest of the Vatican envoys were probably readying themselves to face another hectic day, but Abel had sat by the street even before the sun let its first rays peek into Londinium.

Abel had placed the Bible in front of him, open at _Psalm_, but he had not laid his hand on top of the book. Eventually, the pages were flapped by the wind that blew through thestreets, but Abel's eyes were still a hazy blue, lost and unfocused. In his mind ran the last memories of being in the same place he stood in at that moment.

More than a thousand years ago, the decent buildings that surrounded him presently had not even been erected in their rightful place. They had been nothing but the whispery promises of a distant future. Ironically enough, the time when Abel lived in then had been the past, yet it had encompassed so many wonders unheard of in the future he now dwelled in.

Nearly a millennium ago, the world had been abundant with inquisitive scientists, lost among the sleepiness of time, clinging to a discarded hope. They dressed in casual clothing, walking amongst the commoners, yet an inextinguishable intelligence sparkled in their eyes. Within their vision, they were blind to the present and only thought of the future.

Ever since the rumours had leaked out from the government regarding the colonisation of Mars, each and every scientist around the world had their interests sparked, their hopes ablaze for an invisible dream.

And Londinium had only been a quiet town, a far cry from what it now stood as.

When the scientists had been flooding the major cities worldwide to voice out their concerns regarding the colonisation project on Mars, Londinium had been chosen as the venue to bear witness to an experiment that held an impressive level of confidentiality. The scientists and helpers of the particular experiment were sworn to secrecy, bribed with money, threatened with their lives and that of their loved ones.

Beneath the very ground Abel tapped his feet on, a miracle had been created.

"Father Nightroad!"

In reflex to the sudden voice that came out of the blue, Abel gave a jump in his seat, giving the table an enormous jerk and sending the Bible flying off to land on the pavement. A glimpse of red hair was seen at the corner of Abel's eye. Immediately, his mouth widened in a large 'O' as his words spurted out.

"May the Lord bless me!" he cried out so violently that a few of the people who passed by even jumped in their steps, and regarded him with irritated expressions.

Seeing this, Abel stood up in his chair so suddenly, sending a grating sound from the friction of the chair's legs against the asphalt of the pavement. Once more, the surrounding people gave exclamations of shock, and were flabbergasted when Abel bowed down before them more than thrice, a sorrowful expression etched on his features. Straightening his glasses, he put his hand over his heart.

"This humble priest begs the pardon of all who stand here today!" Abel exclaimed so loudly, sending the young redhead who stood behind him into an embarrassing fit of blushes.

"I'm so sorry for my confounding carelessness that may have offended any of you!"

Again, Abel bowed repeatedly, until he heard a few polite murmurs coming from the early birds, who gave him shaky smiles, and waved his worry away. An elderly woman even came up to him and patted his hand affectionately; humour gleaming in her green eyes. At this, Abel's face brightened and he gave a nervous laugh, apologising to the woman for his clumsiness.

As soon as the woman had left, the young girl who stood behind Abel slowly came out from the inn's entrance, where she had dashed in when Abel had made a fool of himself.

Abel's eyes then shifted from the street to regard the diminutive redhead, who had changed from her nun robes to a long, blue coat that decently covered her neck and her arms and reached up to her knee level. A lacy hem of the white gown she wore beneath her coat covered her knees. Abel could not help giving a smile as he saw Esther looking so pretty with the sun shining on her red hair, her sapphire-like blue eyes bright with happiness and dressed as a respectable young lady.

"Esther-chan, you look so lovely!" Abel praised her, making her blush deepen. Then, as though regaining her composure, she straightened herself and tilted her head slightly towards Abel.

"Were you waiting out here since before dawn, Father?" she asked, her voice already taking on the tone of a young woman, marking her departure from the realm of adolescence.

Abel could not help admiring how Esther had changed so much since she had last stepped into the Vatican, bearing the sins of murder and sorrow on her face, a young girl tainted by the darkness of the surrounding society.

Abel nodded enthusiastically at Esther's inquiry. "Yes, I was out here for a long time, and I counted the seconds _all the way_ until sun came up, Esther-chan… No! I should not call you that, no! I mean, _Saint _Esther," Abel corrected himself hastily, and Esther quickly shook her head at him.

"Father," she whispered sharply, hoping to not draw any more attention than her colleague had. "_Keep it down_."

At Esther's fierce face and equally fierce tone, Abel gave a theatrical gasp and clapped his hand over his lips. "Oh no! I forgot we were supposed to disguise ourselves!" Then, he looked wildly around as though assessing the area for eavesdroppers before leaning closer towards Esther and speaking lowly in her ear.

"Do you want me to change into a woman's clothes?"

Esther immediately burst out into a fit of giggles, while staring at the poker-faced priest. "No, Father, I did not mean it that way," she said slowly, after collecting herself.

"But please be careful of revealing your identity here. And today, I will bring the P-" she stopped her flow of words in time, and quickly covered up. "I mean, _Alessandro_ out. He wants to see Londinium."

Abel nodded at this, but grabbed Esther's arm quickly when he found the catch in her words. "You- you mean, I _can't_ come along?" he asked, widening his eyes in an effort to appear pitiful. Esther only narrowed her eyes in contrast at him, and put her hands on her hips.

"_No_, Father, you can't. You have to stay here and be on the alert if anyone else comes along, and if Cardinal Sforza contacts us," Esther explained.

"You don't mean to leave me with Father Leon?" Abel asked urgently, still trying to persuade Esther. "Esther-chan, he's a pervert! What if he-"

"Only to _women_, Father!" Esther said firmly. "And the disguise would be perfect if it's only Alessandro and I, we'll be looking like a couple on a date, or something like that," came Esther's bland voice.

Just as Abel was about to protest, a shuffling movement from behind him stilled the silver-haired priest. Watching Esther's face lighten with an approving smile, Abel found himself turning around to gaze at the person who cleared his throat nervously.

His blue eyes met familiar grey ones, and Abel almost convinced himself that it was Caterina who stood before him and not the young man whose eyes mirrored hers so similarly. Alessandro XIII, the Pope of Rome, stood before him clad in clothes that a young highborn man would have worn.

His coat, unlike Esther's, was a warm shade of brown, paired off with a clean, starched white collared shirt he wore inside together with pair of black trousers. He did look very proper, with his hair combed back neatly, and Abel momentarily forgot that the same young man who he looked at was the same lost boy who wandered the Vatican with tears in his eyes.

"So- um, how do I look?" a soft voice came. Both persons addressed stilled for a moment, and not too long after, Esther came back to her senses and rushed forth, pride beaming on her face.

"Why, Your Ho-"

This time, Abel happily took the opportunity to fix her with a glare, which Esther haughtily dismissed and walked past his shoulder, choosing to attend to Alessandro.

"Alessandro!" she cried, happily slipping her gloved hand through his, much to Abel's efforts at protesting. "May I commend on how dashing you look?"

With a laugh, Esther nudged him playfully forward, earning another outburst from Abel on her conduct. Alessandro, on the other hand, was torn between blushing and releasing his hand from Esther. However, the young man chose the former, and looked to Abel for a moment. Looking at the clothes that Abel had provided for him and Esther, Alessandro stepped forth.

"T- thank you," he said in his characteristically polite voice, his face smiling sweetly.

Abel blinked for a moment as a wisp of memory washed over him, where the soft voice had been not Alessandro's, but another person, whom Abel had held so close to his heart-

"Well, let's be off then!" Esther's bright voice came across the abyss Abel had found himself drifting off to.

Flashing Alessandro and Esther a joyous smile, Abel waved at them unashamedly, giving Alessandro a thumbs-up sign before the two young people took off the road. Before leaving Abel's line of vision completely, Esther turned back for a moment, her eyes locking with Abel's, a true smile showing on her features. The surreal warmth that radiated from her smile almost broke Abel's heart, but he braved himself and gave a ridiculously wide smile in return.

Fortunately, Esther did not detect the emptiness of the smile, and instead chose to swing her hand that was linked with Alessandro's as they walked on the street. A warm feeling rose in Abel's chest when he saw the two close friends enjoying other's company in a way he had long been denied. Abel could still hear Alessandro's voice and Esther's laugh before they took a turn and disappeared completely from his sight.

The ghost of his last smile still lingering on his face, Abel was about to turn around and enter the inn and get back to his room once more, for the sunlight had bathed Londinium in warmth. More and more people appeared on the street, bustling about performing daily errands, and the cafeteria was having too many visitors for his liking.

Just before Abel was about to pass through the inn's entrance, his heart gave a sudden lurch, and he thought he saw a flash of bright white at the corner of his eye. Instinctively, Abel turned to look behind him, wondering if there was a person who watched him, but all he could see were normal folk, laughing at the start of a good day.

No one seemed to be having their eyes fixed on him, but Abel still felt the slight pressure from his instincts, as though they were trying to tell him- to _warn_ him of something that Abel did not know. But after taking one more glance at the street, Abel chose to journey up the stairs to his room, albeit with a guarded expression.

/scene shifts/

Cain tossed the sunlit golden strands over his shoulder, while he curled his lip in disdain. He looked at his golden wristwatch, a gift from Isaak during their first meetings, and his eyes narrowed when he looked at the time. Then, his blue orbs flicked back to the counter of the restaurant, where the cashier who was stationed there met his eyes and looked away quickly in fear.

Cain inwardly snickered, liking the way people reacted to him. He noticed that during his time spent in the restaurant waiting, he had received a majority of two reactions from people who passed by and caught sight of him.

The first reaction started out initially with a glance, followed by two more, then the spectator's eyes would widen simultaneously with a gaping mouth, which normally ended with a look of pure adoration and wonder together with a gentle sigh. The second reaction contradicted the first, where those who met Cain's eyes of anger or distaste, would involuntarily flinch, find something extremely interesting with the floor, and then produce listless movements, much to his amusement.

Fortunately, the restaurant did have its benefits, reflected Cain. Those who passed by on the street were a majority of folk of well-being, who dressed themselves very eloquently in smart clothing and carried themselves with an air that marked their high status. Cain took pleasure in observing the couture displayed by both men and women who passed by, though he had no wish to purchase the same articles worn by them for his own use.

Whatever fashion was paraded on the streets, Cain paid no heed, and confidently chose his red-lined spacesuit of the purest white as the only clothing fit to garb him.

"Let's go to this one, Alessandro."

A young girl's voice was heard distantly from the thick crowd, which for some reason drew Cain's attention. Taking his eyes off an elegantly dressed middle-aged couple, Cain searched for the speaker through the mass of people.

Finally, he caught sight of a redhead who weaved through the crowd smoothly, tugging on a hand of a young man her age. Cain found himself smiling while he assessed the redhead's slim figure, all dressed for a day on the street. Then, when he met her eyes, he could not help the startled gasp from his throat.

The girl was familiar, _too_ familiar. Cain then reeled back as he recalled when he had last seen her. It had been her who took her place beside Abel while the two of them, together with the stunningly beautiful cardinal, had been in St. Peter's Square.

And Cain could not forget the way she had looked at Abel, what had been displayed so openly in her deep blue eyes. It had left a bitter taste in his mouth, and he tasted it on his tongue once more as he looked at her smiling face.

His eyes then flickered to view the boy next to her. He looked very young, even if his height was reasonable for one who shared the same age as the girl, and his eyes peered fearfully at all corners of the restaurant as though expecting a monster to burst out of the dark vertices any time.

"Um, Esther, don't you think-" the boy was about to say, but the girl's eyes had brightened when she had viewed a particular line in the menu displayed at the front door of the restaurant.

"Alessandro, this is it!" she exclaimed joyfully, pointing her finger at a title. "Now, _here's _where you can taste a true Feuilleté, besides a _boulangerie _in France!"

The young girl, or whom Cain now referred to as Esther, dragged a stuttering Alessandro to a table not very far from Cain, which enabled him to listen on their conversation even better than before. Esther had taken a deep breath of the morning air, which had only recently began to warm up as the sun rose higher in the sky. Then, she gave a soft purring sound and smiled at Alessandro.

"Isn't this beautiful? I never knew Londinium could be like this, people going about normally and all. It's just so different from Rome," she breathed.

At this point, Cain had already forgotten about taking in the small details of her small talk with Alessandro and instead chose to assess the situation. What was a nun from the Vatican doing in Londinium? It could not have been a coincidence, that matched her arrival with Isaak's, Cain was positive of it, knowing that those in the Orden would guard the knowledge of their recent discoveries with their very lives.

But Cain could not help wondering, if Esther was sitting with a friend not very far from where he sat, was there a smallest possibility that Abel was there in Londinium as well? Cain knew that Abel did not take to public so well, and guessed that if his suspicions were proved to be correct, then the silver-haired priest would at least be not very far from the restaurant.

And Cain's heart skipped a beat when the next question floated into his mind. _Does Abel know what Isaak is going to do? _

Just as Cain was about to get up and leave, a smartly dressed waitresses came out of the kitchen, carrying a dish on a tray that attracted Cain's attention. When Cain had pushed his chair back, making noise, the waitress had looked at him first and stared at him longer than necessary before flicking her eyes towards the number of Cain's table.

A smile appeared on her lips as she walked over to him bearing the tray, her hips swinging lightly as she took small, graceful steps. Cain could not resist smiling back at her and lower his eyelids in a seductive fashion, causing a pink shade to bloom on the waitress' cheeks.

Esther, on the other hand, who had been engaged in a conversation with Alessandro, found that the young Pope was no longer listening to her, but his eyes now strayed away from hers. Narrowing her eyes in slight irritancy, Esther trailed his gaze to see what had caught his attention.

Then, she saw a handsome blond man leaning back in his chair casually. Esther held her breath as he tilted up his head slightly in a way, and the slanting rays of sunlight fell on his golden hair, turning it to the colour of rich yellow. As if feeling her stare at him, the young man averted his gaze away from the waitress whose face was fixed in an expression of pure adoration and locked his startlingly blue eyed gaze upon Esther.

Upon meeting his eyes, Esther felt her cheeks grow hot and reflexively pushed back her chair, upsetting Alessandro for a moment and drawing the unwanted stares of the other people in the restaurant. When she noticed the attention fixed on her, Esther put an apologetic expression and smiled at the other customers, waving dismissively to excuse her error.

Cain could hardly contain the laughter from escaping his throat and succumbed to the urge, throwing back his head and laughing out unashamedly. However, unlike Esther, no one in the restaurant fixed him with a hostile expression, instead, most of them smiled back at him kindly and returned to finishing their food.

Cain then fingered the fork and spoon that lay before him and picked up the silver pieces carefully, admiring the way they reflected off the sunlight. Still feeling Esther's eyes upon him, Cain hid a smile and began to eat his favourite dish, a fried piece of fish fillet served with fried potato chips, seasoned with spice and salt.

A few tables away from him, Esther watched the handsome blond from the corner of her eyes. Alessandro, much to her relief, had torn his eyes away from the stunning beauty and now paid full attention to Esther's words, though once in a while, the young boy's eyes would be slipping away to gaze at the dazzling stranger.

Esther watched his casual movements as he placed the morsels of food in his mouth and chewed slowly, savouring the taste of his meal. Esther then stole another look around the restaurant and much to her amazement, found that she was not the only one who had her eyes on him. _Of course, _she thought, _how can you not look at him? He's so handsome and I've never seen anyone like him before._

A gasp that came from Alessandro's mouth shook Esther awake from her daze when she had watched the way the stranger's blond hair shone in the sunlight. Remembering her duties as a protector of the Pope, Esther's eyes fixed themselves upon Alessandro while her hand rested gently upon his.

"Is something the matter?" she asked concernedly.

Alessandro did not speak, but his eyes rested on the piece of fish fillet that was leisurely thrown onto the floor by the stranger. When Esther looked at him, the stranger had moved his half-finished meal aside and now fixed his attention upon her and Alessandro.

"My good man," spoke the stranger in a soft voice, though Esther wondered how she could have heard it when he was seated a few tables from her own. He held out his hand invitingly.

"Would you like to join me?" he asked congenially, and his eyes then flickered to Esther's, and she saw something glint within them. "And bring your pretty girlfriend along too," he added with a wink.

Somehow, when she looked at his expression closely, Esther did not like him anymore. She did not like the predatory glint in his eyes, or the way his smile was hiding more than she could see.

At once, Esther fumed and rose to her feet. Those around her who had been staring at her previously now fixed their gazes once more on her, but their gazes were now heightened by their look of impatience. Alessandro, realising what took place, now carefully wrapped his fingers around Esther's wrist, and pleaded her to sit with a whisper.

When she laid her eyes on Alessandro's earnest face, which clearly intended that the Pope had no wish to start a commotion, Esther gave in and gracefully took her seat once more. However, her eyes were scrutinising Cain carefully. She could feel a sense of familiarity with him, although he was simply a stranger she had met on that very day. The blond gave a stroke of his golden waterfall that flowed over his shoulders and continued to smile at Esther.

"Ah, you both look every inch the perfect couple," came the stranger's voice once more, eerily echoing in Esther's ears though the people between them made no sign indicating that they too had heard the stranger's voice.

"He's not my boyfriend."

Esther had only mouthed the words, but the stranger nodded at her statement, as though she had been speaking right next to him. Then, Esther realised that the stranger had been reading her lips. The stranger then took a bite of fish fillet from a fork, and threw the remaining piece of fillet onto the ground. Esther observed this with a frown, and her mind whispered to her that the stranger was not all he seemed to be.

"Too little spice, too much salt. An unpleasant imbalance," muttered the stranger, wiping his mouth clean with a napkin.

"And personally, you both aren't helping in whetting my appetite. Constant denial of a matter all too clear can be such an annoyance," the stranger expressed, his face perfectly straight. Esther narrowed her eyes at him.

"And you're just simply stubborn, aren't you?" he mocked Esther, ignoring her previous words. The blond then looked at Alessandro with a wide smile.

"Have faith, my friend. She's worth the wait," said the stranger, smirking at Esther as he did so.

Then, the blond stood up so gracefully, that Esther was transfixed at seeing the way the folds of his white robe straighten out. However, she could not ignore the unnerving aura the stranger radiated, despite his flawless beauty.

When the stranger took even steps towards her table and Alessandro's, Esther had to bite her lip hard to keep herself from screaming. The stranger then came close enough and smiled down brightly at Esther and Alessandro.

Esther gasped. His face suddenly melted into the features of Abel, with his silver-hair tied back and with his spectacles perching on the bridge of his nose. Then, just as suddenly as the image had rose in her mind, it disappeared into thin air, leaving the face of the blond man whose features were arranged in a sultry look. The stranger then leaned closer to Esther and bent forward slightly to whisper in her ear.

"I'll see you again, _girlfriend_."

Flashing a bright smile at Alessandro and giving the young man a pat on his shoulder, the blond stranger exited the restaurant, his robe dancing with his golden hair in the breeze that blew on the street. Esther stared after him, her gaze piercing, and her mind uneasy.

_Why in the world did he remind me of Father Nightroad?_

* * *


	20. Chapter 20: Kieuseta kako kara dareka ga

Disclaimer: **Trinity Blood and its characters do not belong to me.**

Author's Note: Awwww… I thought that I would get this chappie uploaded before I went back to college, but it seems that I'm wrong!!! Never mind, the good news is that Cain and Abel meet again!!!

-silence-

Aesya: Where are those guys? *scratches head* They'd normally be whooping when I tell them this…

-Aesya walks around, opens a door to a room…-

Aesya: $%#)I%)E(_^*(%!!!!!

-Aesya slams the door super hard until the door threatens to drop off. Cain yells from inside-

Cain: _You're_ the one who told us to get a room!!

Aesya: Well I didn't think the intimacies would be _that_ improper!!!

-Abel slowly slips from under Cain's naked body and holds a sheet around his own as an effort to cover up-

Abel: Sorry, Aesya *smiles sheepishly*

Aesya: *groans* why can't I ever say no to you? *sighs* well, never mind, on to the story!!

* * *

**Silver and Blond**

**Chapter 17: Kieuseta kako kara, dareka ga yondeiru no**_  
_

**(Someone is calling me from my forgotten past)**

Isaak's fingers slid over the touching screen smoothly, his mind working on the numerous steps involved in the calculus that played before his eyes. However, his smile remained on his face, despite facing many failures in the algorithms that he had used to unlock the programmes that selfishly guarded the ultimate key that led to the revolutionary evolution of mankind.

In a dark corner, his face partially hidden by the shadows that fell across his features stood Guderian, the Adeptus Major of the Orden. Once or twice, his eyes would flicker across to where Isaak diligently worked, but mostly, he took his time in scrutinising the state of the room they stood in.

Unlike the plush furnishings of the headquarters in Berlin, the environment that surrounded the both of them hardly warranted any praise. With graffiti strong and leering on the walls and scratched tabletops together with chairs missing a few legs, the room was a rather pitiful sight.

Guderian would not have agreed to go, had Isaak not spoken privately with him a few moments before the meeting was held back in Berlin. The Adeptus Major had been both honoured and surprised that Isaak had chosen him from the rest of the Orden members to such privy information, especially when the Panzer Magier had fixed Guderian with a faraway look with shining eyes while mouthing the words.

_Together, you and I shall unlock the doors of the future. A future of perfection, void of ugliness and flaws. A shining future._

Isaak, on the other hand, had his eyes fixed on the screen, checking every detailed number he had typed in, before hitting his nail upon the button that led to the input of his hard work into the system. The screen went blank, and Isaak held his breath.

How many years had it been since someone last walked into the very room he stood in? How many scientists had died to protect the precious secret? Until now, the faint metallic smell of blood still lingered on the unfeeling metal walls.

The screen suddenly flashed back to life.

For once, the cold eyes of Isaak that closely resembled a dead fish's shone with a piercing light, while his features took on the expression of miraculous delight. Like a peasant long denied from food, Isaak's eyes hungrily took in the letters that were shown upon the screen, lapping up the information as a bee would to honey.

There was a slight movement about the room, as Guderian pushed himself off the wall he had been leaning on and stepped very slowly to Isaak's side. With that, he inserted the data cube into the smooth panel, letting it diffuse into the processing centre.

Then, both of them looked at the screen, and at the exceptionally familiar face whose sorrowful features stared at them with the desperate blue depths of his eyes.

Guderian drew in a breath, and looked at Isaak, a confused look shown on his face. He pointed at the melancholy visage.

"_Magus_, is this not the priest who has always hindered our missions?" he asked straightforwardly.

Isaak's smile widened as he tilted his head as he gazed at the screen, all the better to drink in the delicately carved features of the pale-skinned young man.

"True enough it is, Guderian," Isaak replied, sighing as he did so. "Now, I'm sure that they do share the same genetic structure."

Isaak once more scrutinised the blue eyes that shone with the clear hue of the sky, the majestic structure of the cheekbones, the smooth wide forehead, the pale cheeks, the thin straight nose and the mouth that held an empty expression.

And the feature that outshone the others was the graceful cascade of silver hair, gently framing the person's face and pooling over his shoulders.

"Perhaps a bit paler," Guderian added, after taking a longer time to look at the picture carefully.

Isaak nodded his assent, smiling at Guderian's attentiveness. Only then did Isaak look at the words written on the left of the picture.

Isaak knew almost the facts by heart, for almost everything of the man in person was similar to one very close to Isaak. The height, the weight, the average blood pressure and pulse, all of it was exactly the same as the person's blond twin. There were also other pictures of a young boy with a sad face, his blue eyes pools of sorrow.

But then, when Isaak's finger pressed a button to browse the next page, the contents that flashed on the screen sent waves of shock through his body. Even Guderian froze for a moment.

Both the Methuselah read through the page thoroughly, and reread it, as though fearing that their eyes were not seeing what truly was written. After the third reading, Isaak and Guderian exchanged looks, although they still remained silent. Finally, Isaak found his voice.

"This-" he looked to the screen, before returning his gaze to Guderian. "-_can't_ be. He never mentioned any of _this_." Isaak waved his hand over to indicate the page's contents, while Guderian only continued to stare blankly, still recovering from his shock.

"Spare parts?" Guderian asked incredulously, and both his eyes and Isaak's fell on the picture of the young silver-haired man who stared sorrowfully out, as though acknowledging the cruelty of the entire truth of his existence. "He was just… _a living storage of spare body parts_?"

Isaak, for once was at loss for words. However, when he finally drew in a breath of air to speak, a fierce whisper echoed from behind them.

"_How dare you…_"

/scene shifts/

Abel stood in the hallway, his blood an angry boiling river coursing through his body, igniting the vengeful spirits he had kept buried so deep within. However, within the recesses of his mind, Abel fought the two opposing wills that clashed inside him.

One was the priest who had rose from the blood and ashes of a gory past, and the other was the fearsome assassin of the dark ages who had bathed in the lingering stench of death and tasted the sin of blood on his tongue.

It all began when Esther and Alessandro had returned, and Esther had spoke to him at some length regarding a sly handsome stranger with long golden strands for his hair and pieces of the sky for his eyes. Immediately, Abel's heart had skipped a beat, and he knew what message his sixth sense had been trying to relay to him earlier that morning.

In a mad dash, Abel had left the hotel and ran to the place where the memories of his early days were buried six foot under within the tall rooms of the abandoned laboratory. Once more, he received a shock when he had seen that a passageway had been made to reach the laboratory underground.

However, instead of finding Cain, he had found the two members of the Orden, unlocking the door to the deepest and darkest recesses of his soul.

Abel's eyes then darted from his piercing glare fixed on the two Methuselah to the screen, and his blood froze.

His eyes read those words which were emblazoned upon his heart and scarred his soul. He did not need to read them, for he knew the pain that would pierce his sanity, the lost feelings that would suffocate his conscience, but somehow his traitorous eyes took in letter by letter, and his breath hitched in his throat.

How many centuries had it been since he had escaped the terrible place he now stood in? How many tears it had taken before the scientists had finally taken the leather straps off his hands, legs and waist?

He could still remember when they had injected syringe after syringe, pumping countless fluids into his bloodstream, some clear, some coloured, and at that time, he had no idea what the scientists were trying to do. Even though he had only been a child, Abel still remembered the pain. And the clawing fear and surge of adrenaline that flooded into his heart each time the door slid open to reveal the white-clothed men with masks.

Meanwhile, Isaak and Guderian had been studying Abel's every move since he had burst into the room so violently, and like a dear caught in headlights, he suddenly froze when his eyes looked upon the screen. Isaak supposed that nothing on the screen was new information, though he could still the dramatic paling of Abel's cheeks when he read the writing on the screen.

Abel suddenly took a step back, surprising both the Methuselah. At seeing this, Isaak stepped in front, his hand discreetly outstretched behind him to receive the data cube placed by Guderian into the safe cage of his fingers.

Abel's head then snapped up as though Isaak or his sidekick had shouted, and at once, Abel's blue eyes flashed a dangerous red once more. Isaak knew that the conflicts that occurred within Abel were visibly shown through the reaction of his nanomachines in his body.

The colour of Abel's hair changed from its usual silver to the greyish dull hue of his Crusnik form. His eyes took turns in flashing red and blue, while his skin blanched back and forth from grey to his unnaturally pale complexion. His voice too alternated between the guttural tone of his other form and the normal voice of a human being.

"Why are you intruding upon this place?" Abel's voice came out like gravel, his fangs protruding from his mouth. Isaak only smiled at hearing Abel's question. He bravely took a step closer towards the Crusnik, extending one graceful arm towards the trembling Abel.

"To unearth the secret of your wondrous genetic perfection, Abel-sama," Isaak replied respectfully and gave a polite bow. Guderian watched the exchange between his master and his foe with guarded eyes, hoping that the outcome would not be as he feared. Abel gave a gentle sigh, a slip of his priest character seen through the gesture.

"Perfection, you say," Abel said slowly, his eyes turning their pale sky blue again, sadness mirrored within them. Then suddenly, Abel's eyes flashed red once more and he waved his scythe of crystallised blood warningly at Isaak, who raised his primary defence, the Shield of Asmoday, should Abel's control upon his calm waver once more.

"Do you think that by revealing my _past_ to the world, your Utopia would be realised?" Abel shouted and stepped closer to Isaak.

"You are nothing more than those greedy scientists! I was a creation to those fools who shared the same dream as you, a stainless future where everyone and everything is perfect. So you say I am perfect, but other than my DNA being my immortal glory, what else is there for me to live? I did not even have a _name_!"

Isaak and Guderian slowly looked back at the screen, and found that there was not a name of the person on the screen listed in the details. There was only a line that bore the words 'SPECIMEN 02'.

"I was only named _Abel_ because the scientist who created Cain had named him so," hissed Abel. "Since I was as you call-" here, Abel glanced at Guderian coldly "-_a living storage of spare body parts_, my head scientist found it no need to credit me with a name. And I was raised with pain, and an endless stream of words all centred on my so-called _twin_, whom everyone seemed to adore.

"They did not like me, even though I was just as perfect as him. What is my fault compared to Cain? Other than our hair colour, what is it that truly differentiates us from each other?"

The whole room fell into silence, except for the occasional beeps of the machine, and the dimming and flashing of the screen from time to time. Neither Isaak nor Guderian moved, though Isaak's eyes were watching Abel's movements relentlessly. The Crusnik appeared to be trying very hard to rein in his rage and anger, and even his form mirrored the inner turmoil he was fighting.

However, the spell was broken when Guderian let his own change take over his body. Isaak tried to open his mouth, to warn the werewolf of the consequences of the silver Crusnik's immutable anger, but Abel had already prepared himself to strike down the werewolf. Guderian hunched over, face contorted in pain as his limbs lengthened, while the markings and senses of a wolf took over his human awareness.

When he lunged for Abel, Isaak saw a terrifying warning flash across the steely blue eyes, as though the gentle mind that was buried within the engulfing nanomachines was trying to prevent a terrible massacre from happening.

Before Isaak could even move forward in an effort to protect his subordinate from the Crusnik's wrath, Guderian was already thrown across the room violently, his bulky form crashing noisily into the wall, and the sickening crack of bones snapping under the harsh impact. When the force of gravity pulled the werewolf down, a thud was heard, and Isaak's eyes widened at seeing the puddle of blood that pooled around Guderian's form.

However, the Methuselah who held the rank of _Magus_ in the Order of Magi did not even move from his spot, but instead let the corners of his lip curl upwards in a smile. Without warning, Isaak threw back his head and gave a long, hauntingly hollow laugh. Then, he took in several deep breaths to calm himself and looked at Abel from behind the curtain of his long dark hair.

"I think _I _have the answer to your question, Abel-sama," began Isaak. "You and Cain are mirror images of each other, but in my opinion, your personalities have caused several alterations in your appearance. The both of you are indestructible when in a rage, but what really differs you from Cain, Abel-sama, is that you- very much unlike Cain- are unable to _kill _anyone, aren't you, Abel-sama?"

At this, Isaak gave another laugh and Abel shook with rage, but bit his lip to stop himself from shouting with rage.

"My Adeptus Major isn't dead yet, Crusnik," Isaak remarked with a slight toss of his long hair. "You're just too soft for killing; his heartbeat thumps through this floor marking the continuity of his life."

The Methuselah then came closer to Abel while keeping a safe distance between them should the Crusnik react unexpectedly. Abel was still trembling, his scythe shaking in his grasp, his eyes fixed on the hunched form of Guderian, who was bleeding profusely.

When Guderian had lunged for him, Abel could not even think, his body had reacted automatically. His rage had been ignited by the haunting shadows of his cursed past that was visibly shown on the screen, and by Isaak's obsession with the ultimate genetic perfection. Then, he heard Isaak's soft voice in his ear once more.

"How then could you have been very proficient as an assassin during the time you spent in the Contra Mundi, Abel-sama? According to my predecessor, a million deaths meant nothing to you in the past."

Unable to rein in his rage anymore, Abel gave a terrible cry and bared his long fangs at Isaak. His form was now fully Crusnik, and black wings sprouted from behind his back. Isaak merely took a step back and watched the whole display with avid admiration. He was satisfied to see the silver Crusnik lose control; it was as though one had set a storm free.

Abel then pointed his scythe to Isaak's face, narrowing his eyes dangerously.

"I swore not to kill," he growled in a coarse voice. "Although you have gone too far, I shall not kill you," said Abel, and Isaak's smile widened at hearing this. Angered by the smug expression on the face of the Panzer Magier, Abel suddenly threw himself at Isaak. "But that does not mean that I can't touch you!"

Isaak then felt his whole body being thrown against the wall, just as Guderian had been a few moments ago. Abel now looked every inch the monster that prowled children's nightmares, and for the first time, Isaak felt a tinge of uncertainty. Did Abel really intend to harm him?

As quick as lightning, Isaak raised the Shield of Asmoday around him, while Abel rose his scythe higher into the air, with its sharp tip gleamed the chilling tinge of bright crimson. With a ringing war cry, Abel dropped his scythe directly onto the Shield of Asmoday, its tip kissing the shining barrier.

/scene shifts/

Isaak could hardly believe his own eyes when Abel's scythe broke through his impenetrable barrier of defence. There had been only one occasion when Abel had succeeded piercing the tip through the Shield of Asmoday, although Isaak had been alert and quick enough to strengthen the shield and evade the attack.

However, it seemed as though Abel now possessed no feelings of mercy, for the scythe had done more than chipping through the shield, it had gone right _through_, and Isaak then felt the sharp flame of pain surge through his arm. His flat cold eyes widened in shock and horror at seeing the tip and spikes of Abel's scythe lodged deep in his upper arm, the excruciatingly sharp length of the tip protruding from the skin under his arm.

Before Isaak could even breathe out a curse, the pain had clouded his vision and he hissed angrily at Abel. The scythe had pierced through skin, flesh and blood, and the sleeve of his injured arm was bloodied with a deep dark red.

When the _Magus_ raised his eyes to meet his attacker's, Isaak was struck by the sheer expressionless face that Abel displayed. It was as though the gentle, clumsy priest had disappeared beneath the sinister, malicious monster that stood proudly over the injured Methuselah. For a moment, Isaak felt what it had been like for the victims of the prized silver-haired assassin.

Another strong current of pain seared up Isaak's side, but unlike the previous pain that he felt from the scythe going through his arm, this was excruciating. Nothing could have shocked Isaak more than seeing Abel floating above him, with the blood red scythe securely within his grasp, with Isaak's arm dangling from the tip.

"Impossible."

Isaak had barely gotten past the last syllable in the spoken word before he collapsed onto the ground, writhing in pain. Isaak could feel the cold air swarming the exposed flesh where his right arm used to be, and the once pleasantly cool air now stabbed at his flesh and froze his nerves. And he could feel his blood gushing out uncontrollably, the warmth of the crimson liquid spilling onto the ground below.

His pupils dilated and his fangs extended, together with the length of his nails. Isaak could feel the Bacillus virus taking control of his body, reacting to his body's heightened stress. But Isaak himself knew that he was no match for the otherworldly being that hovered above him; face solemn, eyes red and terrifying.

"It is time you atoned for your sins, _Magus_," Abel spoke, his voice ringing through the large room. Isaak only laughed and spray the air with blood that bubbled up to his mouth. Then, a spasm took over him and later on a coughing fit halted the Methuselah from forming any words.

"Y- you," Isaak said slowly, his voice distorted by the trail of blood that oozed from the corners of his lips. "Have you- ever wondered- a- about y- your sins, Abel-sa- ma?" Once more, Isaak threw back his head and laughed. His remaining hand clutched his throbbing shoulder.

"As far as I remember, the amount of people we have killed is merely a _fraction _of those _you_ have killed," recalled Isaak, slowly getting to his feet. He stretched his good hand out, summoning his powers to form the Arrow of Belial.

"Now tell me, Abel-sama, _who_ is the one who should atone?" Isaak demanded as a multitude of energy bolts fired themselves towards Abel, whose face was contorted with rage.

Abel flew, expertly evading the bolts fired at him, though a few managed to hit his wings, and he growled in pain. However, his regeneration process took place in a matter of seconds, and Abel need not descend to the ground. With a wave of his scythe, a pulsing bolt of bioelectricity soared through space and hit Isaak in the chest, for the Panzer Magier had been too overcome by his injuries to counter Abel's attack.

"I _have_ been atoning!" Abel roared, and blood tears started to stream down his cheeks, paths of red marking the dull grey of his skin. "I have paid blood and tears as penitence. And _much_ more than you'll ever know or ever could," Abel spoke, his eyes clouded with sorrow, remembering the day when Cain had died.

"I left my path when I knew that I had done wrong," Abel said, his head slightly bowed, but a second later, his eyes flamed once more at Isaak. "But you haven't!"

Isaak did not even have time to blink when the Crusnik's scythe came down on him on his good arm once more, its spikes and tip burying themselves mercilessly through flesh and bone, and with a forceful pull, Isaak's good arm was ripped off.

This time, Isaak did not collapse and instead called upon the Schatten Kobolds who materialised out of his own shadow. Although Isaak knew that his efforts were futile, he did not want to lose face in a fight. Isaak was now stung by pain and anger, the latter was mainly wrought from his own shame of underestimating the silver Crusnik's abilities.

He should have known that Abel's powers were no far cry from Cain's. They were mirror images as well as polar opposites, their powers contrasted from each other, though the damage they could wreak was similarly devastating.

At seeing the dark shapes of the dwarfs, Abel stilled in his flight and spread his wings wide to gather his powers before letting a shower of bioelectric bolts rain upon the dwarfs, destroying them instantly. Isaak now snarled with an uncontrollable rage, but hunched over, as his ignored pain now rushed and inflamed his brain. The _Magus_ then slowly slumped to the ground in an unavoidable defeat.

Abel felt a tiny twinge in his heart when the Methuselah had lowered himself out of pain and exertion. With a gentle sigh, the silver Crusnik followed suit, though he did not revert back to his human form. As he was about to approach the _Magus_ to see the extent of his injuries, a soft voice came from the door.

"Well, if it isn't my favourite assassin."


	21. Chapter 21: Samenai Netsu ni Unasarete

Disclaimer: **Trinity Blood and its characters do not belong to me.**

Author's Note: This chapter is.. well, it's very special to me. It is really one of the hardest chapters I have ever written. There's just so many things to capture, the deep wound of indecision etched upon Abel's chest, Cain's haunting but seductive obsession, the blood of the battle and the ultimate dark knife of betrayal.

For this chapter, I recommend two songs. For the first part of this story, the song is Taking Over Me by Evanescence. Trust me, the beauty and sorrow of this song really suits the whole scene. But I won't be a spoiler to tell you why;)

In Part II, Innocent Sorrow by Abingdon Boys School from D. Gray -Man. It covers the violent, painful, battle that ensues.

* * *

**Silver and Blond**

**Chapter 17: Samenai Netsu ni Unasarete**_  
_

**(Thrashing with a fever from which I cannot awake)**

**Part I**

Abel's heart could have stopped its thunderous pounding at that very moment. He knew that voice so well, that silky voice that so long ago, could have put his worries to rest and lighten his soul instantly.

_You don't remember me but I remember you_

However, that voice now warranted hatred and evoked a destructive persona within Abel.

Isaak had struggled to his feet, a smile forming on his lips. He seemed to be relieved at Cain's arrival.

"Cain-sama," Isaak said respectfully, doing his very best to bow before Cain.

Abel looked to Isaak and back to Cain again, careful not to rest his eyes for longer than necessary on the latter's beautiful blue ones, so alike his own. Cain came forward, and Abel could no longer resist from looking at him.

_I lie awake and try so hard not to think of you_

Adorned in pure white with red trimmings, Cain indeed looked like a biblical figure, an angel perhaps, as he stood out in the dark room.

_But who can decide_

Cain's hair was just as golden as it always was, a few blond strands falling over his forehead, his face unmistakably beautiful.

_What they dream_

Abel could only breathe watching Cain.

_And dream I do_

"It's been such a long time, Abel," remarked Cain, who purred slightly.

His smile widened as he saw Abel waver slightly when Cain pronounced his name. Although in Crusnik form, Cain could still see through Abel. He could picture the long silver hair falling down Abel's back, his sky-blue eyes wide with wonder, his mouth slightly open in an expression of longing.

Oh yes, Abel was still in love with him, and that was all that Cain needed to soothe his worry.

Cain felt his mood darken when he saw Isaak. Two of his arms had been ripped off, undoubtedly by Abel. Cain resisted the urge to give a satisfied smirk, knowing that Isaak had underestimated Abel's power. When he looked to the west corner of the room, he saw Guderian slowly struggling to his feet.

Swallowing back an exasperated sigh, Cain cleared his throat to attract the werewolf's attention. At seeing Cain, the werewolf forced himself to stand on his own two feet, though Cain could see the pain written on his face.

"Take _Magus_ and go," Cain commanded him shortly.

Guderian nodded quickly at Cain's command and staggered over to where Isaak was lying in a pool of his own blood, his face dreadfully pale as a mark of excessive blood loss.

While Abel looked on with guilt, Cain only hid a smile as Guderian groaned, trying to heave the weight of the Methuselah onto his back without allowing Isaak's armless body to slide off. Taking in a deep breath, Guderian took off while Cain stood hovering by the doorway, watching Abel intently.

"It seems that you've not lost your touch at all, dearest," Cain remarked, a delighted expression shown on his face. For some reason, this only made Abel's heart sink in his chest, anticipating what would come next.

Cain gracefully walked over to Abel, letting his hair slide from his shoulders in a seductive manner.

"I've missed you, Abel," Cain said, his eyes misting over. "And why have you changed your hairstyle? I've seen you, you know."

Cain gave a flashing wink to Abel. He came closer to Abel as though he craved the close proximity between them.

"Why don't you let your hair down as before? No one's had hair like you, darling. Why can't I run my fingers through your silky silvery strands anymore? Don't you miss me doing that?" Cain asked endearingly.

Abel could feel his body reacting. He could almost imagine the sensation of the nanomachines deactivating, his body reverting back to normal, and him closing the painful distance that separated Cain and him-

"No!" Abel cried out, moving away from Cain, whose eyes narrowed at the sudden change in Abel. As Abel backed away, Cain advanced on him.

"Abel, come back here. It's no use running away from me, you know that," Cain spoke in tones that a mother would use to reprimand her child. "I've found you once more, even after 900 years of being separated. This time, even if you escape, things won't be any different." Cain smiled warmly.

Abel finally had a good control over his senses and raised his scythe warningly at Cain.

"You killed her! You're insane, that's why you can even smile when you saw what I did to Isaak and Guderian, although you're both on the same side!" Abel's outburst was only received by a laugh from Cain.

"My dear, you still don't get it do you?" he asked Abel sweetly.

Abel sent a bolt of bioelectricity towards Cain, who dodged it as easily as though Abel had thrown a toy to him.

"Lilith died because she tried to take you away from me. And as for _Magus _and his _Adeptus Major_, you've just helped me in bringing me one step closer to my aim. Why would I want those fools when you are all I need? I only needed their help to find you once more. In every aspect, they pale in comparison to you. And soon, when they are all gone, the world will tremble before our power, just as what happened 900 years ago," said Cain, and tried to reach out for Abel who leapt away.

"You- you're going to kill them?" Abel asked softly, his face an expression of pure disbelief. "Just like you killed Lilith, you're going to do the same to them? After all that they've done for you?"

Cain only made a satisfied noise at this, and Abel felt as though the world was collapsing on him. Desperate to bring Cain to his senses, Abel forced himself to remain calm, albeit he could not stop himself from shaking.

"Lilith never tried to take me away from you. I loved you!" Abel blurted out the last sentence without realising what he had just said. He covered his mouth quickly as Cain laughed joyfully.

"I love you still, Abel. Just stop this tomfoolery and you'll be more than welcome in my arms. We'll fly off together somewhere," Cain said ambitiously, not knowing how Abel shook with rage more than usual.

Abel's bioelectric powers suddenly surged out in large currents from his body and attacked the whole room, breaking the walls apart, destroying the buttons and control panel, and smashing the screens. Cain's smiling face now turned serious as he looked at Abel, sending a warning glance.

"Oh why must you be so stubborn, darling?" Cain asked childishly, but when he saw that Abel had not ceased in releasing his power, Cain stopped playing around.

"Abel, don't push me any further," Cain said in a deadly tone.

However, Abel took no heed and continued to emanate heavy bolts of bioelectricity to destroy the whole room ultimately. As soon as the glass screen cracked and the splinters of glass sailed through the air, Abel flew to Cain, his scythe raised in a killing strike. Cain had a small smile on his face, for he knew that Abel could not kill him.

_Have you forgotten all I know and all we had?_

"Have you remembered what things were like when we were lovers?"

_You saw me mourning my love for you_

Abel stopped mid-flight and his breathing grew laboured as a wave of nostalgia engulfed him.

_And touched my hand_

There was the long lost vague warmth from Cain's face buried in his hair, the gentle pressure of his lean body against Abel's, and to the sweet taste of their kisses. All the beautiful memories buried within the shadows of the past washed over him like a gentle river.

Cain smiled in obvious satisfaction as he saw Abel slowly lower himself to the ground, and his red eyes suddenly vanished to be replaced by a sky of blue. Abel looked as though he was in a daze of memories, and Cain was beside himself to see Abel slowly deactivating his nanomachines.

And then, the images of Lilith's headless body flashed into his mind. Once more, Abel could feel his initial shock as when he had first gazed upon the head of Lilith held by her red tresses entangled between Cain's fingers. And Cain had _smiled_ the same smile he had on his face at that very moment.

_I knew you loved me _then

"NO! YOU MURDERED LILITH!" Abel shouted, breaking the spell that had bound him to his spot and flew towards Cain in a burning rage.

Hearing Lilith's name uttered from Abel's lips and blood tears streaming down the silver Crusnik's cheeks was all it took to spark Cain's anger. Cain hated Lilith, and to know that the dead woman still wielded some unseen influence on his lover made him angrier, and he felt his own Crusnik powers rising from his body.

Cain blocked off the entrance to the room with an invisible barrier that separated the room from the corridor outside it. He waited for Abel to raise his scythe in a killing strike aimed for his head. As Cain expected, he never felt the expression of pain. The scythe did not even touch the skin on his face, but stopped just a hair's breadth from it.

Cain smiled smugly, knowing that Abel still loved him.

Nevertheless, Cain's anger at Abel refusing him and saying Lilith's name in such a vengeful manner still had not abated. And Cain did not take Abel's refusal kindly.

He took even steps towards Abel, smiling in the face of the one he loved.

"That's what I've always liked about you, Abel," Cain remarked. His hand came up towards Abel's chest. He took advantage of their propinquity and whispered to Abel's ear. "You can never hurt me nor can you deny that you still love me."

With that, Cain sent a destructive force made of psychokinetic waves to Abel's chest. Abel felt a rush of energy go through him, and his breath came out in gasps. The nanomachines deactivated, and Abel's free silver hair now tumbled down his shoulders.

_I look in the mirror and see your face_

Cain watched the glimmer of light against the silvery strands, and fought an overpowering desire to run his fingers through those silky strands.

_If I look deep enough_

And without his strange spectacles, the Abel that fell slowly to the floor before Cain was the same Abel he had loved all the time.

_So many things inside that are just like you are taking over_

Ah, but Abel had been so obstinate, and had spurned the hand that Cain held out to him. He had ignited the very fire of Cain's anger, and had gotten himself killed.

Abel was trying his best to breathe in, though he felt as though his lungs could no longer take in air. His whole body felt still. Abel tried his best to rationalise the situation he landed in. He could not believe what had taken place.

Did Cain really kill him? Was he really experiencing the true meaning of death?

An excruciating pain ravaged his body, and he could no longer stand up straight. He started falling forwards, and Cain's smile was still on his face. Cain reached out a hand to stop Abel from falling too soon.

"If you won't be mine, you won't be anyone else's," Cain whispered once more, liking the way Abel's blue eyes widened.

Then, Cain aimed a massive force of psychokinetic waves to Abel's head, pulverising it completely. Abel suddenly felt his vision go blank, and his awareness disappearing to nothingness.

_I believe in you_

He wanted to scream, but he could not find his voice.

_I'll give up everything just to find you_

He wanted to move, but he could not feel his muscles.

_I have to be with you_

He tried to blink, but he did not know where his eyes were.

_To live_

There was a terrible rush of pain, so strong it was that it severed his bond to his consciousness like a thin thread under a blade.

_To breathe_

And then, there was nothing.

_You're taking over me_

* * *

**Part II**

Cain himself felt his smile slipping off his face, the slightest of frowns settling on his features as he gazed at Abel's fallen body. In the place where Abel's majestic head used to be was a large pool of blood, littered with chunks of flesh, bone and short strands of silver.

Cain raised his hand, and looked at the long, limp silver strands held in his grasp. Before he had blown up Abel's head, Cain had torn away a fistful of hair from Abel's scalp, a token of remembrance of his beloved. Cain lifted the silver strands to his nose and took in a deep breath, smelling the last essence of Abel.

He smiled vaguely, noticing the way how Abel's scent did not change over the many centuries they had been separated. Cain too, found it hard to believe that Abel had died by his own hand. But then, if only the man had listened to Cain and obeyed his wishes, then Abel would have lived.

"Darling, this would have been so different if only you'd been more compliant," Cain found himself saying to the bloody body of Abel.

He did not believe that it was Abel lying there, for there was no trace that this man had indeed been the one Cain loved. There was no longer a head with silver hair, save for the remaining strands in Cain's grasp.

"And a little less destructive," he added, observing the racked state of the room that had hidden the secrets of the _Blueprint of the Gods_, the ultimate genetic code. Nothing could be of use anymore in the rubble Cain stood in.

Sighing regrettably as he looked at the body of the one he loved, Cain lifted his robe to avoid being stained by Abel's blood and headed out to the exit.

/scene shifts/

Cain carefully made his way out of the building via the passageway that Isaak constructed to access the main room. His blue eyes observantly trailed the blood droplets that led all the way from the room he had left Abel in to the same place he had arrived from the restaurant earlier. The blood droplets did not decrease in radius; rather they remained the same size, huge with the hue of a dark crimson.

Cain could not help feeling a sense of pride when he recalled the damage that Abel had inflicted upon both the members of the Orden. Unknowingly, the silver Crusnik had helped Cain in way none could.

"Cain-sama!" a voice called out to him. Cain looked to the left and saw Guderian, now in his human form, the gash visibly seen on his chest slowly healing.

When Cain gazed above him, he saw a dark sky spangled with silver stars. The darkness was an escapade for the Methuselah, a retreat from the harsh brightness of the sun that was more than capable of burning them to death. The current condition allowed the freedom of movement for the other two members of the Orden.

"Where is Isaak?" Cain asked of the werewolf, who was still gasping in pain. Perhaps, thought Cain, Abel had done more than cut a deep wound inside the werewolf's chest.

"I- brought him away," spoke the Reizahn, and motioned for Cain to follow him. When the _Adeptus Major_ turned his back on Cain to lead the way, he missed the small smile that slowly made its way up Cain's lips.

_And so my long-awaited plan unfolds._

They reached a small clearing in the middle of a thick forest. In the centre was Isaak with a face of a stone, harshly ignoring the severe injuries he had suffered. Cain saw that his right arm was almost halfway regenerated, but the left arm seemed to make no progress. Cain slowly made his way to the Panzer Magier, and looked down kindly.

"How do you feel?" he asked.

Isaak responded with a slight sigh and fixed Cain with a smile.

"It's nothing I can't cope with," he answered smoothly, though Cain detected the undercurrent of pain masked within his voice.

"Did you get the data?" Cain inquired, and Guderian stepped forth and knelt in front of Isaak. His hands went into the _Magus_' cloak and retrieved a small cube. At seeing this, both Cain and Isaak smiled simultaneously.

"The _Blueprint of the Gods_," Isaak breathed out, his mind taking on visions of a world perfect both physically and genetically. Cain took the device from Guderian's palm and fingered it cautiously. "The ultimate creation of man, the key to a new future."

"Ah, yes." Cain nodded his assent at the two members of the Orden, and gave a laugh. "It's amazing how important and precious a small little cube can be," remarked the blond, tossing the cube into the air and catching it expertly.

Isaak lifted an eyebrow at Cain's behaviour, wondering why he felt that something was amiss.

"But pity, for all your effort, your joy is short-lived," Cain grated out, and crushed the fragile cube with his fingers.

Two things happened simultaneously at the same time; Guderian sprang to his feet and rushed to attack Cain whereas Isaak drew the Shield of Asmoday around himself and his bodyguard. Cain merely watched Guderian coming from the corner of his eye, and in less than a second, he sent a large force of his power through the shield and pulverised the whole body of the lumbering werewolf.

When the high velocity blood droplets splashed onto Cain's face, the blond threw back his head and gave a long and haunting laugh. Isaak then struggled to his feet, shock and disbelief written all over his face. He seemed too stunned to form any words, and just gazed at Cain with eyes that were full of questions. After Cain's laughter finally abated, the Crusnik regarded the place where the werewolf previously stood dispassionately.

"Why?" Isaak finally asked. Cain only tossed his golden hair over his shoulder and flashed a bright smile at Isaak.

"You were in my way, and so was _he_," Cain muttered simply, shrugging his fine shoulders. At first, Isaak watched Cain's gaze carefully. Instead of looking at the bloodied mess on the forest floor, Cain's eyes strayed back to the place where the entrance to the laboratory was.

"Abel-sama?"

When Isaak received no answer from Cain, the former shook his head very slowly. "Cain-sama, don't tell me you-"

"Oh, I'll tell you that I _did_," Cain said firmly, circling the Panzer Magier. "He refused to come with me, the stubborn Abel. I gave him many chances, but he did not listen. Therefore, I killed him off after he served his purpose."

Isaak did not move, and Cain slapped his forehead in exasperation. "Come now, Isaak, you honestly believed that I stayed by your side all for the purpose of _renovating nature_? I have other things to worry about. Should you extract all the contents of the data cube and genetically manufacture a being; I would lose the franchise, wouldn't I?

"And now, Abel has done a magnificent job of destroying the laboratory, which would in time collapse, burying him deep within the place of his origin. And I have gotten rid of the one piece of information that could threaten my very existence. You were no different from the scientists that created the four of us, you are just the same."

Cain exhaled while Isaak held his breath, his mind unwillingly processing the information that he refused to accept. Cain fixed his eyes on _Magus_ and gave a chilling smile.

"The Orden knows too much, each and every one of you needs to be disposed of. You'll wrestle with your conscience when I tell you this; if only you had kept the existence of the laboratory and its contents en confidante, only you would have to pay the price of death. But since now, thanks to you _everybody_ knows, I'll have to soil my hands to kill them all off! And Abel has helped me in such a good way, by wounding Guderian and you grievously, enabling me to finish the both of you off easily. I've started with Guderian, you'll be the second."

As Cain declared this, he stepped in front of Isaak, and with a wave of his hand, the Shield of Asmoday was deactivated. The Panzer Magier only looked at Cain between the dark strands of hair that fell over his forehead.

"All the time you were using us all," Isaak concluded. Cain scoffed at this.

"Well, that's a little bit too late to realise, isn't it?" the blond mocked. "Be thankful that I'm telling you this, Isaak. If I was such a cold-hearted bastard, I'd just kill you without explaining why."

Isaak glared at Cain coldly. "You already _are _a bastard. And I'm not going down without a fight," he said resolutely.

Cain smirked as he fully activated his nanomachines and flapped his white wings to liberate himself into the air.

"Then prepare yourself, Isaak Fernand von Kamper, _Magus _of the Order of the Magi, Panzer Magier, to meet your end."

The battle between the Crusnik and the Methuselah was short but gruesome, and resulted in the body parts of the Methuselah torn violently by Cain after he defeated Isaak. When Cain was done in pinning the head, torso and legs of the Methuselah onto separate trees surrounding the clearing, he took a last admiring look at his work of art before slipping away from the area.

Unbeknownst to him, a young redhead with sapphires for eyes had watched the whole battle, her fist shoved into her mouth to prevent herself from screaming lest she be found out.

Only after two hours since Cain's departure did she finally find the control of her muscles to move, though her eyes still saw nothing but the sinful red of blood.


	22. Chapter 22: Gamushara ni natte mioto

Disclaimer: **Trinity Blood and its characters do not belong to me.**

Author's Note: Thank you so much for the beautiful reviews for the last chapter I updated! :) I'm really proud I wrote it, but it evokes a sadness in me for some reason… of course, my fave character died!:(

I just came up with a list of songs dedicated to the relationship of Cain and Abel, don't know if anyone's heard these songs yet.

1. Ghost Love Score by Nightwish

2. Taking Over Me by Evanescence

3. Comatose by Skillet (my latest addiction, and it's been really synonymous with my story, and it's one of my fave rock songs, love it!:D)

As a tribute to the beautiful song by Do as Infinity entitled Shinjitsu no Uta, or Song of Truth, this chapter is deep too. Sigh, I don't know why my writing's gotten this way, but yeah. Say 'welcome'…

* * *

**Silver and Blond**

**Chapter 22: Gamushara ni natte miotoshite kita mono**_  
_

**(I've become a rebel, I've overlooked things)**

"…synthesis of calciferol…triggering melanin production…referring to sample results A…"

Seth had been murmuring absently, tugging on a sheet of papers stacked on one of the clean tables in her laboratory. Flicking the papers briefly to analyse the statistics and the shapes of the graphs that had been printed out, her brow furrowed in concentration as she carefully entered additional data into her progress sheet.

As soon as she standardised the results and rearranged the analysis in a systematic manner, the briefest of smiles touched her firmly pressed lips. Sparing a fleeting glance at her microscope, Seth finally let her muscles take on the form of a wide smile. It had been a while since she did so, as she painfully recalled what had happened for the past few weeks.

The alliance between the Vatican and the Empire was stronger than ever, but the Vatican proved to be more watchful than a guard dog, and Seth had to admit that their observant attitude was causing her to be most flustered. But her sour thoughts were immediately remedied when she had gazed upon the results from her experiments.

There was a hope, however faint and unpromising it was that the Methuselah could finally walk freely in bright sunlight without fearing to suffer from third degree burns. Her experiments had opened her door to the beacon of hope, which she now wanted to pass to one Methuselah to the other. Just as soon as Seth's mood had changed from sobriety to delight, the process was now reversed in an equally sudden manner.

Deep green eyes narrowed as her thoughts drifted to a man whose hair was made from the purest of silver. The words that he had spoken to her now echoed in her mind as though he was by her side at that moment, repeating the same words. Seth gave a sigh of exasperation. She could find no peace anywhere, she realised.

At the court, her eyes were always unsuspectingly drawn to the seat that used to be occupied by the Duke of Tigris, and Seth found her heart constricting as though someone had pierced an arrow through it. When she went to her laboratory to seek the denied solace she had always longed for, Abel's sorrowful face would flash before her eyes, together with Lilith's accusing gaze and Cain's chilling smile.

"An eternal life…" she whispered, her eyes seeking out a horizon she could not see. "It's seemingly a blessing but a curse in disguise."

A knock came from the door. Seth's face immediately hardened as her mind sought out the proper way of reprimanding the unfortunate person who had disturbed her moment of privacy. Shrugging off her laboratory coat and skilfully depositing it on a chair that stood a few feet away from her, Seth marched towards the door and opened it just enough so as to allow the ray of light that streamed through to have only the thickness of a single strand of hair.

"What?" she demanded rudely.

She heard the person stutter slightly at hearing the unmissed irritancy laced in the Empress' single word, before composing himself and apologising profusely.

"Forgive me, Your Ladyship, a thousand apologies," Seth heard his voice saying out respectfully, slightly guttural due to his old age. _Humans and their short lifespan_, Seth whispered to herself. "The Countess of Odessa from the Outer World wishes a private audience with Your Ladyship. Her Grace says that it's urgent, regarding the demise of a Catholic Priest."

Opening the door most suddenly, Seth gave the old man a fright from her supersonic movement and from the intense glare of disgust in her eyes.

"Why are you telling me this? Do I look like I have all the time in the world to mourn over some insignificant Vatican person's death?" she snapped at him, raising her eyebrows.

The man cowered away at her rage, but he still lingered at the doorway. He bowed thrice, his weathered forehead almost touching his knees.

"This humble servant meant no offence towards Your Ladyship, but the Countess of Odessa was firm that an audience with Your Ladyship would be more than appreciated…"

Throwing off the goggles she had donned on, Seth briskly walked past the Terran servant, sending a scowl in his direction before heading off to the Throne Room.

"If Astharoshe does this out of pleasure, I have a good mind to strip her of her titles," muttered Seth as she zoomed off to the Throne Room.

Arranging her heavy veil around her face and checking her reflection in the mirror to ensure her appearance was presentably regal, Seth pressed the button to activate the screen.

The Duchess of Kiev's face was coldly beautiful, with her single streak of red hair covering the left side of her face. But there was something wrong, for Seth had never seen Asta's face betraying so much emotion. In fact, her skin colour had lost its glow and almost blended into the white of her hair.

Seth cleared her throat, testing out her voice modifier. Immediately, Asta sank on one knee. Behind her, a view of St. Peter's Square was visible. Seth grudgingly accepted that the scenery was beautiful by night, with the large cross that was bathed in moonlight.

"Your Highness," Asta said with utmost respect, bringing a smile to Seth's face. However, when Seth bid her to rise, Asta was not smiling. In fact, it took her several moments before she could finally voice out her reason of requesting an audience with Seth.

Tilting her head in puzzlement, Seth wondered what it was that could induce such a reaction in Asta, the untouchable Duchess of Kiev. Seth knew that when Asta was finally ready to speak, the words would come out almost rushed, for the Duchess never stuttered. Then-

"It is with the greatest regret that I inform Your Highness of the death of Father Abel Nightroad."

Seth had to take a step back from the screen. She was sure that Asta could not see the whirl of emotions on her face, but her movements had already indicated what she felt. Then, Seth could hear Asta's voice, explaining what had happened, but Seth could not configure what the words were.

The only thing she saw in her mind was a vision of Cain, handsome with his flowing blond hair, smiling as he stood over Abel's lifeless body. Perhaps, Seth thought with dread, there was no body. Seth knew Cain well enough, and Cain would never be so kind enough to allow Abel to live, not with the present state of mind Cain had at that moment.

It was not even Cain, thought Seth; it was 01, the nanomachines who had taken over Cain's body.

/scene shifts/

Seth burst into the laboratory, just minutes after she had left it to listen to Asta's news. She had screamed out to her Terran servants moments after the screen had gone blank to cancel all audiences and sessions for that day. Instead, she ran to the only building that still held a glimmering mirage of the past she used to live.

When she entered the laboratory, Seth's eyes immediately went to the pictures framed on the wall. Her heart wanted to burst when her eyes rested on one particular photograph. She saw the smiles eternally etched upon the four frozen figures. Seth stepped closer and closer, wanting to see the picture all the better.

It had been a long time since she had done so, and as none of the servants were allowed to access the laboratory for maintenance, dust had collected on the glass cover. Seth's hand came up to take the photograph off the wall and with shaky fingers she wiped the layer of dust off with her palm.

It had been their first day on Mars.

She remembered the excitement that had fuelled their bodies when they first descended the spaceship to take careful steps upon the red planet, and Seth had been beside herself when she surveyed the development of the area. The four of them had been elected the leaders of the colony, naturally since the four of them were the test-tube babies genetically engineered and enhanced to adapt themselves better to Mars with their improved physical and mental abilities.

Cain had been the leader, and Abel the second in charge, followed by Seth and Lilith. At that time, Lilith had been together with them, and Seth remembered the way her smile had suffused so much warmth when they had first met. Lilith had been the one woman Seth knew she could never hate. The photograph had been taken when they had first entered their special dwellings and had taken off their spacesuits, leaving them floating in the air due to zero gravity.

Seth saw Cain, his perfectly sculptured features arranged in a wide smile, his blond hair surrounding him in golden swirl, with his arm around Abel's waist. The normally brooding Abel was unusually replaced with a beautiful man with an equally happy smile as Cain's, silver silk for his hair, and with his fingers laced with Cain's own.

Lilith was just as stunningly beautiful, her long red hair floating behind her like a goddess', and Seth saw herself in Lilith's arms, her smile mirroring the joy in Lilith's eyes. For once, the joyful expression on her face was not faked. The four of them were in rather odd positions, as they were still unaccustomed to having zero gravitational force acting upon their bodies, but the happiness that shone through their eyes was unmistakable.

Seth could vaguely remember when the last time she had laughed sincerely was and when she had last seen Lilith, Abel and Cain smiling as widely as they had in the photograph. Her green eyes were drawn to Cain and Abel, and she could not miss the way their foreheads nearly touched, and the arm wrapped around Abel's waist, and the intertwined fingers. It was simply painful to believe that Cain had murdered Abel, who was so beautiful and naïve. It was impossible.

"You've robbed them of me," Seth whispered sharply, looking at the smiling blond. Then, she looked at the other photographs on the wall. All of them were shot in Mars, and there was not a single photo when one of them did not smile truthfully. They had been happy while on Mars, and returning to Earth had destroyed the strong bond of love that wove the four of them together.

It was not the first time that Seth had cursed Cain's decision to return to Earth to help the survivors from the war. It had been excruciating when the survivors had fired upon the Returners, but the cut went even deeper when Lilith had chosen to side with the incompetent survivors.

Seth had been so distraught, but determined to not let their relationship die because of war. Seth had then bid the three of them to return to the Ark to receive their infusion in stages. It had pleased her immensely when Lilith had agreed to come up despite her not needing infusions, for she had infused herself completely as her body was adapted to the 100% Crusnik, unlike the three of them.

But Seth had been chasing a dream that was branded forbidden by the Methuselah, a dream to enable them to taste the long denied sunlight and be resistant against silver. As a scientist, the impossible had inspired her. And for that, Lilith had started to look at her in a different way.

"It's not fair!" she screamed into the silence. "I was doing what was best for us! I was doing…" Seth's voice trailed off as she carefully replaced the photograph on the table and sank to the floor slowly, as though in defeat.

Seth then stared into the blank space, her eyes staring, but not seeing. Her mind kept on thinking on Abel's last words.

"_Be strong…"_

"…_cease the experiments…"_

Seth's eyes immediately rushed to the boiling conical flask, and she looked at her written notes, neatly arranged on the top of the table. Her experiments, her masterpiece, her life. She had developed the ultimate cure against sunlight, and the cure for silver was underway with good progress. But she had lost so much at the same time.

She had lost Cain, and it had been her fault. Dimly, she recalled how faintly she had put up resistance when Abel had suggested infusing Cain's body with the nanomachines. _I could have stopped him_, she thought. _I could have warned him but I blindly followed_.

And then it was Abel. At first Seth had convinced herself that she was not responsible for Abel's death in any way. He had asked her to stay away, and she had complied. But then, Seth did a double take, and found a flaw in her conclusions.

"I could have researched on deactivating Cain's nanomachines," she said softly to herself. "Instead, I focused on my experiments, and Abel-niisan had told me not to do them."

The terrible truth now stung her deep, and plunged into her conscience and tormented her sanity. She had defied Abel, the one person whom she had always felt a strong bond between both of them. She had always loved Lilith as her mother or elder sister, but Abel was different.

She and Abel were the ones who were rebellious; those who refused to give in to anything with good purposes willingly. Cain and Lilith had been perfect, flawless and respected. But Abel had been there when Seth was sad, just as Lilith had been there by her side when her health deteriorated. And the one person she had sworn to become closer to since Lilith's death and Cain's so-called 'death' was now dead in vain, because of her selfishness.

Then, Seth felt numb. She did not even care if Cain came barging into her palace and knocking down the doors of her laboratory to kill her. For once in her life, she felt alone.

Seth then eyed the laboratory apparatus with an undisguised hatred in her eyes. The glass utensils had been the main cause of her neglecting her people's needs, deafening her to the voices of Sulëyman and the other Methuselah who wished for coexistence, and had muffled Abel's sincere pleas.

Screaming blue murder, Seth rushed forth and knocked the conical flasks and beakers to the ground, not caring if the glass shards pierced her skin or the dangerous chemicals came into contact with her uncovered flesh. She did not care any longer. She tore up her notes, set fire to the pieces and disintegrated their ashes.

Lastly, she took a syringe and withdrew a large amount of poisonous chemical in aqueous form. She was about to poke the syringe deep into her skin and inject the chemical into her veins before a clear voice stopped her movements.

"If you want a taste of your own medicine, go ahead," the voice said flatly.

Seth's eyes widened and she dropped the syringe to the ground. Deaf to the noise of the glass smashing against the hard floor, she scanned the room for the source of the mysterious voice. But Seth detected a familiar ring in the flat tones, and she found herself disbelieving the identity of the owner-

Green eyes met long lost brown ones. Seth was speechless as she watched _Lilith_ suddenly materialise out of thin air. Seth started to shake and pointed her finger at Lilith in disbelief.

"You _can__'__t_ be," Seth said firmly, trying to convince herself and the apparition that looked unbelievably alike to Lilith that the situation she stood in was impossible. Then, the scientist emerged from her, and she stepped forth with her instincts kicking in. "Lilith Sahl is dead. I myself saw to it. There was no way she could have survived from the beheading, there was no-"

"Stop it, Seth."

Lilith came closer and closer to Seth, her brown eyes never straying off Seth's face, her expression resolute. Seth sucked in a breath as she saw the clothes worn by Lilith and her hairstyle were exactly the same as the day she was killed. Even her eyes were Lilith's, piercing and brown, but Seth knew that there were times when the impenetrable brown could soften to warm honey.

Lilith assessed Seth's ragged figure with a critical eye. She noted the dishevelled regal robes, the mad glint in Seth's eyes, and the perilously sharp shards of glass littering the floor she stood in. As though to prove Seth's words wrong, Lilith swiftly reached out a hand and closed her fingers around Seth's wrist. She heard the gasp that issued from Seth's lips as she felt the warmth from Lilith diffuse into her cold arm. Lilith raised an eyebrow.

"Don't tell me you did not know what the nanomachines can do to us," probed the striking redhead. Seth narrowed her eyes at Lilith, the fright she felt at first dissipating into thin air. The young girl wrenched her hand away from Lilith's arm.

"You're an apparition," Seth said in a tone that gave no room for argument. Lilith did not make a move to take Seth's wrist once more. Instead, she watched Seth most carefully as the young girl circled Lilith with piercing eyes. "The nanomachines from your body were absorbed by Cain, thus weakening his stamina."

Lilith regarded Seth's words with a satisfied smile, pleased of what Cain had become due to his greed, but Seth was not finished. "But he is stronger now," Seth hissed, coming closer to Lilith. "And if you haven't heard of the latest development, Cain killed Abel not too long ago."

At this, Lilith's face paled very visibly, and a foreign expression crossed her stunned features. There was no expression of surprise, which indicated that Lilith had known of Abel's death even before Seth had spoken of it to her. However, the knowledge itself was too deep and painful for Lilith to bear. Lilith's face took on a look of obvious desperation and regret, though it did not pass unnoticed by Seth, who carried on.

"If you can appear before me as you are now, and can touch my hand, why didn't you stop Cain?" Seth asked, her voice breaking with emotion. She could control her bottled grief no longer, and a sob came out of her throat.

"And now Abel is _dead_!" she screamed.

Lilith flinched, as though Seth's words had struck a cord in her heart.

"I know." Lilith said finally. Although her eyes were brightly shining, no tears fell. "I am dead, but I am still alive. Sometimes, I can see what the three of you are doing, sometimes I cannot," Lilith confided. "But you are the first one to see me. I have tried it with Cain and Abel, but they can't see me. I have tried to appear in your dreams, but I cannot.

"Your dreams, all three of you, they are ugly, full of despair, hatred and loss. I cannot break through those terrible visions and speak to you, although I wish with all my heart that I could. And I cannot do anything more physical than touching your hand. Perhaps I can do more when you meet me in your dreams, but more than that, no."

Seth took quite a while before she took in a breath. She let Lilith's words sink into her before she moved. "Then where are you when you are not watching over us?"

Lilith could not help smiling. Undoubtedly, Seth was the most intelligent person she had ever met, though her intelligence wrought danger at most times. "I hover. In between this world and the next, I reside." Then, Lilith's eyes flashed suddenly.

"But I'm not here to tell you of myself. I came here to find you about to kill yourself with _that_-" Lilith's eyes rested critically on the broken syringe at Seth's feet. "-although you know very well that it takes _much_ more to kill a Crusnik."

"Then what do you expect me to do?" Seth mocked. "Sit back on my throne and wait for Cain to kill me?"

"And so you should, because at this moment, _that__'__s_ what he's planning to do. Do you know what happened in Londinium?" asked Lilith. "Cain, or rather, the Orden, wanted to get access to the laboratory that created Abel. He's trying to find out more about the creation of the test-tube babies. But he can't create Crusniks, because there are no more nanomachines left."

Lilith's eyes then gripped onto Seth's green gaze. "But _you _know all about nanomachines, don't you? And _that__'__s_ why Cain's coming after you. You're not on firm ground, either. Your subordinates are beginning to doubt you, however many 'traitors' you send to exile, Seth. You claim you're fighting for equality between Terran and Methuselah, but this very place is a strong proof of your lie," said Lilith, eyeing the laboratory with distaste.

Seth sprang away from Lilith quickly. She shook her head in denial, tears escaping from the corners of her eyes. "No, Lilith-kaasan! I'm their Mother, I have to help the Me-"

"How_ dare_ you call me 'Okaa-san' when you don't even listen to what I say, after all these centuries of me being dead?" Lilith snarled at Seth, who had gripped the edge of a table tightly when Lilith began advancing upon her.

"While Abel weeps at my side, you carry out experiment after experiment, my words fading into thin air. And how dare you call yourself the 'Mother' of the Empire, when you fight for Methuselah only, and leave the Terran to suffer? When Abel has died, only then you destroy your findings. Hopefully, you'll never step into this laboratory again, if you really are serious about loving Abel and I."

Seth, who had been listening to Lilith's words in tears, now bolted for the door to escape the harsh reality that fell upon her like arrows. However, Lilith was faster. Strongly gripping Seth's arm to avoid the young girl from running, Lilith whirled her around and gave a tight slap to Seth's left cheek.

The force from it sent Seth's head turning to the right, and an angry red mark stained the fairness of her skin. There was no sound that followed after the ring from Lilith's slap, and even Seth was at loss for words. No tears came out from her eyes, but the green orbs were wide open from shock.

"That was for being the worst hypocrite I've ever known."

Seth's eyes widened at the sentence that came out from Lilith's lips. Slowly, she brought her head back to its original position and stared at Lilith earnestly. The older woman looked at Seth with a mixture of pity and anger.

"Seth," Lilith spoke slowly. "You're the most intelligent person I've known, perhaps, ever existed. I knew it from the moment I met you, I don't even regret being infused with the Crusnik nanomachines, though they betrayed me to my death. At least, I died fighting for a good cause.

"Terran and Methuselah, human and vampire, mortal and immortal, we're all the same, can't you see that? We're still beings that live on Earth. We need each other to survive. How is it that you can't comprehend this simple concept and you need Abel's death to shine the light on the truth of this? Abel died for the same reason that I did. We both believed in this cause. And Cain fought for the peace of humanity too. He hated war, he always did. Even when we were on Mars, he didn't like it.

"That was why Abel was the one who took over the duties that required the officer to witness bloodshed. Abel loved Cain, and deep inside him, he wanted a future of peace. But how can we achieve peace when the two races on this world can't even coexist with one another?"

Seth had been biting on her lip all the time, and her tears ran freely down her cheeks listening to Lilith. The red haired goddess came closer to Seth and knelt down to equalise their eye level. Then, Lilith drew Seth into her arms. As the young girl cried into her hair, Lilith stroked Seth's back comfortingly.

"I love you like a daughter. You may not know, but I love you so much." Lilith then pulled away to look at Seth once more. "You're the prettiest girl of your age in this world, I'm sure of that. And I'm so proud to have been able to know you, with your remarkable intelligence and your aspiring dreams. I've never felt so happy than to be called 'Lilith-kaasan' by you.

"But don't you know, Seth, that mothers want the best for their children? I want the best for you, and if you want to be the Mother of your empire, you must do what is best for your children as well. Through coexistence, you won't need to worry about the segregation of the races. Terran and Methuselah are free to live and mingle with one another.

"Tell me, why is it that you have enemies? Because the people cannot see the promising signs of what you have promised them, they end up hating you. If you enable the two races to live together, you can eliminate those who have felt dissatisfied with your fading promises of coexistence, and you can look out for your real enemies."

Lilith then gripped Seth's arm firmly, as though to convince her of the truth of her next sentence. "If your people love you very much, Seth, they would rather die than betray you. The Orden won't be able to infiltrate the Empire."

"And then," started Seth slowly, feeling a slight dread rise in her chest, amidst all the promising light that had filled her heart with Lilith's words. "What will happen when Cain comes to kill me?"

Lilith then gave a small smile. "Then a miracle will play, for sure. I'm not playing around, but yes, something good will happen. Remember, Seth, you are powerful. You have 03 and you're in the peak of your condition, unlike Cain with his temporary regeneration and his weakened stamina. You can win over him, you _must_."

A light came into Lilith's eyes, and she saw a glimpse of the future, which made her breathe a sigh of relief. But she did not say anything to Seth. "For the people you love, be strong."

"That's what Abel-niisan said." Seth said half-consciously, and Lilith let herself smile once more. Releasing Seth and looking out the broken window, she gazed at the blue sky, reminded of Abel's eyes. Seth was looking at the long red hair that streamed down Lilith's back, and how it shone ruby red in the light.

"He hasn't changed," remarked Lilith. Seth gave a small giggle, and looked at the floor for a moment, thinking of Abel's face.

"No, he hasn't at all-" Seth was about to say to Lilith, but when she looked once more to where the redhead stood, she saw nothing, except for the rays of sunlight that streamed through the window.

There was only a mild fragrance of flowers on the air.


	23. Chapter 23: Omoidaseba haruka haruka

Disclaimer: **Trinity Blood and its characters do not belong to me.**

Author's Note: This chapter was just so long, so I had to split it up into two parts. And of course, this bears the answer to the ultimate question; "IS ABEL REALLY DEAD??"

Not gonna spoil anything, so read!;) Does anyone here play Kingdom Hearts? This chapter is dedicated to the song Passion by Utada Hikaru. Sanctuary is the English version of this song, but I prefer Passion, for some reason;p It's a beautiful song, and it fits Part II of the story.

* * *

**Silver and Blond**

**Chapter 23: Omoidaseba haruka haruka  
**

_**(If we remember, far, far away)**_

**Part I**

Londinium, Albion

Cain gave a sigh of pleasure as he felt the cold water kiss his bare skin. He lowered himself slowly into the water; liking the darkness that surrounded him, save for the tiny lights, which functioned to brighten the huge bath. Isaak was a gentleman in many ways, and the hotel they had checked into was as sumptuous as a palace could be.

Taking a bath had always been one of Cain's favourite pastimes, and was an escapade from the unperceptive minds of some of the Orden's members, as well as from Helga's aggressive advances. Each time Cain rested in the chill of the water, he felt his worries being washed away by the gentle lapping of the water.

Another reason why he particularly favoured the bath was because of the silver sheen given off by the water's surface. For Cain, anything silver bore him reminiscence of Abel. When Cain looked at himself in the water with the pale light shining on his golden hair turning it nearly silver, he thought he saw Abel's beautiful face reflected before him.

Cain could not push away the thought of Abel dying by his hand. He no longer possessed Abel, now that Abel had died. Cain immersed himself in the water, blowing air bubbles. Suddenly, a thought ran through his mind and upset him so much that he pushed himself off the bath's floor and stood up violently, splashing droplets of clear diamonds all about him.

"Abel escaped," Cain spoke softly to himself. It took him some time to bring himself down into the water and calm his pounding heartbeat. His rage seemed to clash with the calm that radiated from the coolness of the water. Cain stroked his chin, absent in thought.

"He's escaped from me through death," Cain mused. It was what had shaken him so, knowing that he killed Abel. Abel's death meant his liberation from Cain's clutches.

In death, Cain could no longer possess Abel, or feed on the sight of Abel's melancholic beauty. The soul of the person he had loved the most had torn itself away from the beautiful body of its owner when Cain had performed the killing blow. And Abel was resting in peace.

Cain laughed out loud, the cruel sound of it ricocheting off the walls of the bathing chambers. His body shook, causing large ripples to be sent across the water from the spot he stood in. He ran a wet hand through his hair, closing his eyes for a moment. When he opened his eyes, the sky-blue orbs shone with a sinister glow.

"You think you've escaped me, haven't you, Abel? By now, you'd have surely given Death such a passionate kiss for freeing you from me that he'd be gasping for air, wouldn't you?" Cain asked the emptiness about him sarcastically. He punched the silvery surface of the water, wetting his own face as the water splashed noisily.

"_Cain-sama, I'__ve just gotten your news," _came Dietrich's voice from the tiny black box that Cain had placed by the left corner of the bath. Cain swam over to the water's edge and activated the speaker device should any of the Orden members find it essential to converse with him.

"Yes," Cain spoke. "It was unfortunate, really. Abel was unrelenting to our cause. He destroyed the laboratory in Londinium, cutting off the chance of attaining the _Blueprint of the Gods_. However, we managed to save it in a data cube, which Isaak is analysing at the current moment," lied Cain so smoothly, there was not a faint pause that could indicate the falseness of his statement.

"_I see. Perhaps that is why I could not reach him or Guderian," _Dietrich said, and Cain stifled a laugh at how easily the Terran was deceived. _"Well, there goes our hope in his joining the Contra Mundi once more. What a shame, his powers could have been such an asset to us."_

"And so they shall be," Cain spoke with a smirk playing on his lips. His forefinger twirled a blond strand around and around, while his mind glorified in the thought that had just presented itself.

"_How should his powers be beneficial to us anymore, Cain-sama? He is dead,"_ Dietrich stated matter-of-factly. Cain gave a low chuckle.

"_I_ was dead," he reminded. "Abel's body is still very much intact, save for the absence of his head. Otherwise, I'm sure that it'll be a piece of cake for Isaak to extract the remaining nanomachines to be transferred to my body."

There was a silence following Cain's words, and after a few moments, Dietrich spoke again.

"_You'__re planning to absorb Abel__'__s nanomachines?" _asked Dietrich finally. Cain made a satisfied sound.

"02, yes. We Crusniks have certain benefits of our genetically manufactured bodies," said Cain with an unmistakable tinge of pride in his voice. "I should be able to merge Abel's nanomachines with my own, gaining a complete body, and Abel's powers shall be mine." Cain paused for a moment, a distant memory flooding into his mind. "Abel had always been one of the brightest among the Army in the specialisation of Lost Technology. We could apply his knowledge to serve our cause."

"_What of his body?" _queried Dietrich.

Cain lowered his eyes and peered at his own reflection in the water, loving it when the light turned his hair silver.

"Well, that's up to you," Cain said flatly. To him, Abel was not Abel without his head. And it was Abel's hair that Cain loved most. Without it, Abel's body was just like any other corpse. "I shall return to Berlin soon, once Isaak has finished sorting out the data we've gathered," Cain informed Dietrich, most satisfied with his recently hatched up plan. Dietrich chuckled at Cain's words.

"_I shall wait for all of you to return, then. We shall soon triumph, Cain-sama. _Through fire, nature is renovated whole._"_

A few moments later, Cain heard a light clicking sound, signalling the departure of Dietrich from their previous conversation. Cain sank deeper into the water, his eyes shining with the new hopes that had risen up in his mind.

"For all your sacrifice, Abel, you'll soon be mine," Cain voiced, each word echoing across the dark corners. "Perhaps I'll even gain some of that heart wrenching beauty that you currently possess," he added wistfully, looking up at the tiny lights, letting the pale white shining from the ceiling illuminate his face.

The joy that he felt at the anticipation of being one with Abel's nanomachines consumed Cain's soul, and burned in his heart and eyes. He would be trapping the only remaining piece of Abel within him forever, and Abel would have no escape. The melancholy angel would be his completely, and no one else could tear them apart any longer.

Realising that the temperature seemed to have dropped a little, Cain moved to climb up from the bath. When he gave his reflection in the water surface a last look, Abel's face appeared, his face as melancholy as his silvery beauty. Cain could no longer resist watching the face of the person he most desired, and lowered his lips to Abel's own, kissing the cold surface of the water.

**Part II**

The Church of the Roses' Crown, Londinium, kingdom of Albion

Abel faintly heard a soft roaring sound. When he opened his eyes, a bright light suddenly rushed in to flood his vision with a pure white. Abel winced in pain, and blinked repeatedly to clear away the stinging tears that had formed in his eyes from the immense whiteness that had pierced his eyes.

When Abel finally opened his eyes, he saw something blue and irregularly shaped. Abel squinted hard, and strangely enough found himself staring at an open ocean. He looked down at himself and found himself wearing his Crusnik spacesuit, which he had not worn for many long years. When he moved his hand to touch the smooth fabric of his spacesuit, little granules of sand fell from his palm. Distracted from his spacesuit, Abel reached out his hand and touched the sandy ground he had been lying on. The sand was both smooth and coarse underneath his skin.

For once since Abel had known that Cain was alive, he let himself smile sincerely. He had been to the beach before once with the late Sister Noélle, but it seemed as though it had been a long time ago, and that visit brought back painful memories to him. Abel stood up to get a better view of the blue sea, and dusted the golden sands off his spacesuit. When his hand consciously came up to his head, he discovered that his silver hair was freely dancing in the wind, unrestricted by a ribbon, as it had been when he lived on the Ark. His glasses too, were gone.

Abel frowned at this, wondering if it was merely a dream he was seeing, for the last thing he remembered were Cain's frighteningly wispy words, _if you won't be mine, you won't be anyone else's_.

Abel shook his head violently, as though to clear away the vision that had formed in his mind. He could still see Cain's casual expression right before the moment he blew up Abel's head. Anger welled up within Abel, and the desire to kill Cain became so consuming that a malicious smirk formed lightly on his lips.

Then, out of nowhere, the face of the Cain he had loved so long came floating in his face, the golden hair swirling about him, his eyes betraying nothing but love and kindness, his face free of the evil he had committed himself to. Abel felt his defences weaken almost instantly as he thought of that particular vision of Cain. He missed Cain dreadfully, not the insane Cain who took much delight in the killing of others, but the Cain who used to stroke his hair and hold him tight when he felt so fragile.

"I knew you were still alive," a familiar voice came. Abel was rudely awakened from his thoughts and looked around widely. There was no one on the beach, save for him. However, when Abel ran his eyes over the ocean, he spotted someone who was half-immersed in the water. He felt as though someone had knocked his breath out of him as he recognised the person wading in the salty water.

"Cain is still inside himself, Abel," Lilith said to him gently. Although they were a far distance apart, Abel could hear her as clearly as though she was beside him all the time.

Lilith was also in her spacesuit, and the ends of her hair which reached past her waist were now soaked in the seawater. She looked more at peace than Abel had ever seen her in her entire life. Her beautiful brown eyes shone with life, and her smile was wide and warm. Abel found himself shaking with fear, disbelief, and happiness, all in a mixture of emotions. It could _not _be Lilith, for he had seen with his very eyes the headless body of Lilith on the Ark, and had wept by her side for 900 years. Lilith was dead.

"Yes, I'm dead," Lilith remarked casually, as though she had read his mind. She ran a finger on the surface of the water, liking the way little droplets formed and sparkled in the sun. She laughed for a moment before looking at him once more. "And so are you."

Abel bit on his lip, desperate to make his tongue move. He did not know what to do. Part of him wanted to talk to Lilith, to pour out all his worries and anguish, but another part of him just wanted to carry himself off and hide from her.

"I" Abel tried to say, and had to breathe in deeply before he could continue. "I was killed by Cain."

Lilith nodded slowly, her smiling face turning grave. She looked down at the water for a moment. "Yes, I know. I saw it all," Lilith said with a sigh, her eyes saddened at seeing Abel's sorrowful face.

"Abel," she called out to him, when she realised that he had looked away from her. "There is a reason why you are here. Can you not remember this place at all?"

Abel just took one look at the entire place and was about to quickly deny Lilith's question when his eyes rested on the tall cliff that was just a few feet away from where he stood. If a person were to step very close to the cliff's edge, a good view of the ocean would be in sight. Abel suddenly saw two people standing close to edge, both in spacesuits, very alike in physique and stature, save that one had silver hair and the other was a blond. The blond pointed to out to the ocean, laughing, whereas the one with a beauty of sadness gave a gentle smile.

Abel drew in his breath sharply as the figures faded. He looked down for a moment, hearing the soft clashing of the waves on the shore. He could even hear the faint sound of Lilith's expectant breathing.

"This was where Cain and I were when we first landed on Earth," Abel spoke slowly. Lilith made an approving sound, and the melodious splashing of water was heard as she ran her fingertips atop the surface of the water.

"You both exchanged vows of eternal love here, I gather," Lilith spoke. Abel turned to look at her sharply, his eyes narrowed, with a faint tinge of blush rushing up to his pale cheeks. Lilith sensed his gaze, and merely smiled knowingly at him. "When you're dead, nothing's a secret anymore."

"Lilith, what do you mean just now when you said that you knew I was still living? If I'm alive and you're dead, how can I be talking to you?" Abel asked, his mind trying hard to rationalise the current situation he had landed himself in. Lilith lifted her shoulders gracefully, shrugging.

"That was because I had appeared before Seth earlier, though I could not feel her presence as strongly as I'm feeling yours." Abel's eyes gleamed with interest as Seth's name, but Lilith continued without delay. "She is well, but my meeting with her is not what I wanted to discuss with you. With all your experience at being a Catholic priest, haven't you at least learned a thing or two about death, Abel?" she asked him.

Abel was tired of being at a far distance from her, and found himself wading into the sea. Lilith smiled and held out her hand as he came closer. Much to Abel's surprise, the seawater was comfortingly warm, and the sand of the seashore was smooth beneath his feet. He reached Lilith when the water level was up to his waist.

When Abel touched her hand, he started. Lilith's hand was warm and her skin was as soft as he had last remembered it was. "You are not alive, but you are not dead either. Your soul has wandered to this particular place. And my soul followed yours."

"My soul wandered _here_?" Abel asked incredulously. He gave a sarcastic little chuckle, which made Lilith show the barest of frowns on her face. "How can it be? Cain killed me, and in the first place, we both didn't even know where we were when we first landed on Earth. It could be anywhere."

Lilith gave a sigh, wondering what she had to say to convince him. "Yet, you have come here. Deep inside yourself, you _know_ where this place is. Even if you can't point it out on the world map, your soul knows the one place it holds dear." Although Abel tried to look away, Lilith held him by his arm firmly. "Admit it, Abel, you still love Cain. If not, why did you not strike him when you had the chance?"

Abel turned around to face her, his expression almost predatory. "I do love Cain! But that's what makes it so difficult, because I _can't_! He killed you, Lilith!" Abel burst out. Lilith only gave him a sad smile.

"Because I _allowed_ him to," said she. Abel froze instantly at her words, and Lilith looked down for a moment. When she raised her head, her brown eyes glittered in the cheerful sunlight. "You can't kill someone you grew up with, can you? He was insane, Abel. He did not know what he was doing. And you know I would never have the heart to kill an innocent person, let alone Cain, the beautiful boy I loved just as I loved you and Seth."

"How can you be so blasé about this?" Abel's words came blurting out. He waved his arms at Lilith, trying to make her comprehend the reason why he could not love Cain. "He ended your life, and you- you're just taking it naturally, as though you don't mind at all! And after all I've done to avenge you-"

"Did I ever ask for my death to be avenged, Abel?" Lilith's question cut Abel off sharply. Abel looked at her as though she had punched the lights out of him. He even felt his lungs releasing all the air within them.

Looking at Abel's pale face, Lilith comfortingly laid a hand on his shoulder. "I appreciate what Seth and you have doing, you don't know how proud I am of both of you, trying so hard to realise the coexistence between Terrans and Methuselahs. I'll always love you and Seth very much, and the answer to your unsaid question, Abel, is yes, I do forgive Cain. However, despite the fact that you've been fighting so hard for peace, why do you find it difficult to forgive him?"

"_Forgive_?" Abel spat the word out as though it were something sinister that he could not swallow. "How can you forgive that _madman_- do you know what he's done, Lilith? He's joined the Orden and-"

"Yes, I know that, and much more, Abel," Lilith cut him off again for the second time, her face extremely serious, the playful smile that had rested on her lips previously was now gone. She came close to him, her eyes staring straight into his own, trying to speak with him through the contact of vision. "I have the seen the future, Abel," she whispered. Abel held his breath, listening to her words.

"What I describe to you, you must believe. And what I tell you, you must do." Lilith's eyes had caught Abel's and refused to let his gaze leave hers. "You will soon be revived, Abel. And when you do, you will be given a second chance at your life, and you must decide what you would like to achieve with your rebirth."

Abel laughed at Lilith's statement. "You're saying that I'm about to be _reborn_? And how exactly can that happen, pray tell me. A Crusnik with 100% nanomachine fusion has just killed me, and you somehow expect my soul to fly back to my severely damaged body and rise from the dead?"

"Yes," Lilith said firmly, the word neutralising Abel's cynical manner. "Remember what I told you, you are _not _dead." The air seemed to still between both of them. Even Abel could not hear the roaring of the waves any longer. All he heard were Lilith's words, echoing again and again in the chambers of his mind. Lilith then spoke once more.

"You are in a condition they call _stasis_. Do you not remember what Seth said? Your heart has stopped beating, your organs have stopped functioning, and you have stopped breathing. Your body is now harnessing all the energy it can to regenerate the most vital part of your body, your head. As long as your nanomachines are still within your body, you have the ability to regenerate. Your body now lies in a church in Londinium." Lilith turned away after speaking to pick up a small shell from the seashore. Abel was about to attack her with his questions until her next words put a stopper to his flow of thoughts.

"You and Cain will then fight, but none of you will win over the other."

Abel could not hold back his rising feelings. He rounded on her, his eyes flashing their sky-blue in his face. "Here is the answer to your previous question. You wanted to know the first thing I shall do when I am reborn. I _will_ destroy Cain!" he said resolutely. In contrary to Abel's outburst, Lilith shook her head slowly.

"No, you will _not_," said Lilith curtly. "Try as you may, but you will not."

"I don't care!" Abel had balled his hands into fists. "Although you wish not for your death to be avenged, but I will avenge the lives of the innocents who have perished in the way of the Orden!"

Lilith too could bear Abel's obstinate nature no longer and faced him as fiercely as he faced her. "Even if you and Cain fight a thousand wars, the both of you will not win over each other. You and Cain will be the only two Crusniks in the universe who have fused 100% with their nanomachines. Your abilities complement each other; therefore you will not be able to win, unless one of you bows down to the other."

"I'll never bow down to the man who killed you!" Abel cried.

"_That man who killed me is the man you love_!" Lilith responded strongly. Lilith's statement seemingly froze the motions of life, for the second time. Abel had taken a longer recovery time to retaliate compared to the previous statement.

Lilith looked at him, silently acknowledging that he truly was the boy she had raised. Abel had always been the beautiful, silver-haired little boy on the Ark who simply refused to listen to anything that went against his perception.

"If he is the man I love," Abel said, his eyes looking at Lilith with a strange sadness within them. "Then why did he kill me?"

At the sight of Abel's sorrowful face, Lilith could not help letting out a sympathising sigh. She touched the side of his face gently. "He knows not the full consequences of what he's done. Abel," she called out, drawing his full attention to him. "The Cain that you love is still within the Cain that you now hate with such passion. If you kill Cain, you kill the only person you've sworn your love to forever."

This time, Abel sighed. "I have to kill him, Lilith. He has to die for all his sins of killing those innocent people." Lilith let go of Abel's face as he said those words. She bit on her lip, stopping herself from crying out to him. She waded a few steps away from him, but stopped short before she was too far.

"Then try as you may, but you will attain no victory in this coming battle with Cain. And even if you do get to kill him, Abel, you will have chosen for yourself the path of eternal darkness and sorrow, by destroying the only person who can bring light into your life." she told him. Abel wanted to say something, but Lilith was faster. "In the last battle of you and Cain, you both will find yourselves here, in this very place." Abel was confounded by her words.

"But how can we come here? We don't even know the exact location-"

"How can you and I end up here when you're not dead and I am? Not all questions can be answered right away, Abel. You need to find the answers for yourself, and decide your choice," Lilith said breathily, her face tilted up towards the sun, her eyes closed in the joy of basking in the sunlight. "And during that battle, you will decide whether you indeed will carry out what you've desired to do all the while. So will Cain. Both of you will have to make the final decision, and bear the consequences that follow, be they good or bad. The true purpose of your life and Cain's will be revealed to the both of you at that moment."

Lilith opened her eyes and gazed meaningfully at Abel, whose eyes held an expression of immense sorrow. Lilith felt her existence fading slowly, and heard Abel give an exclamation.

"Lilith," he was saying. Lilith had rushed to him, and held him by his upper arms, her face an inch away from his. Sky blue eyes met warm brown ones. "What-"

"The time we have is limited, Abel. I've told you all I can, and please," Lilith gripped Abel's hand firmly. "Always remember what I say, although how illogical and nonsensical it may seem to you now. When the correct time comes, which shall not be so far off from now, tell Cain that I've forgiven him, and that I've always loved him, regardless of who he has been and who he is."

Abel stared at Lilith as though she had lost her mind, but her eyes seemed to beg him so pitifully, that Abel found himself condemning her words to his memory. "You will know the truth of this, Abel. You will be facing Cain now, and you both shall battle. Remember what I told you." Lilith started to fade in Abel's eyes, first the deep dark red of her hair turned paler, whereas Abel found that he could not feel his own feet. He and Lilith both stared into each other's eyes, knowing this was the last time they could gaze upon each other's faces.

"Abel, do you still remember what I told you in Seth's room when we were on Earth?" Lilith suddenly asked. Abel nodded deeply.

"One must learn to be loving and forgiving."

Lilith smiled as Abel said this, reminiscing the last precious moments of her life. Then, out of the blue, Lilith pulled Abel closer until their lips met in soft kiss. When Lilith pulled away, she was still smiling, although Abel was staring at her confusedly. What on Earth had just happened? Lilith laughed at seeing his expression.

"I couldn't help it, I fell in love with you. And this might be the last time I'll ever speak to you," she said simply. "I never had the chance to do that while we were still alive, but I'm content now."

Abel steadied himself with a few breaths, and opened his mouth to speak slowly. "Lilith- you-" Abel paused for a moment before gazing at her sadly. "I didn't know," he admitted. Lilith shook her head at him.

"You weren't supposed to. But I would have never done anything to force the both of you apart. I knew that you loved Cain, and you still do, even though you've gone through so much," she said gently, stroking his cheek. When she dropped her hand, she fixed her firm expression on him once more.

"You have learned to love, Abel," Lilith told him slowly, her upper body only left, just as Abel's was. "But you have not learned to forgive."

Abel found himself steeling his feelings, and his tone was slightly harsh. "I cannot forgive Cain," he announced, but he unconsciously adding, "Yet." Lilith gave him an understanding smile.

"I don't expect you to do so now," she told him. "But I hope you will take my words into consideration."

By now, only their faces remained, and Lilith's strange smile still had not vanished from her face. Abel was condemning every feature of her to his memory, especially the generous warmth that shone in her brown eyes. "And Abel, I was not referring to Cain." When Abel frowned at her, wanting an explanation, he heard her giving a gentle sigh, as sad as her smile.

"I was referring to _you_."


	24. Chapter 24: Itamu basho wa dare ni mo

Disclaimer: **Trinity Blood and its characters do not belong to me.**

Author's Note: Today's my birthday, I'm finally 18!!!!!! Woohoo!!! Nothing beats a good birthday than a relaxing day with my family, and sweet and loving messages from my friends;) love ya all too!!

Despite the many faults of the anime :S I really loved the battle between Cain and Abel!! Finally, this chapter comes out:D For this, I have dedicated one of my favourite songs, Hitomi no Tsubasa from Code Geass, and I have used the first line as my title, I love this song!! But I think the best soundtrack would be Cain and Abel from the Trinity Blood OST, that's super cool:)

* * *

**Silver and Blond**

**Chapter 24: Itamu basho wa dare ni mo iwanai  
**

_**(No one is willing to say what hurts them)**_

Cain looked at Esther, his anger masked behind his never-failing smile. However, Esther could feel it. She backed up against Abel's coffin, her eyes big with worry. Cain wanted to crush her at that moment, to destroy the girl who seemed so firm in keeping Abel away from him.

Cain had already thrown the manlike machine against the wall, liking the sound as the large mass struck the hard wall. He could only imagine the pile of torn limbs flashing warningly with electricity, together with a tangled mess of wires all cut and disconnected. Cain then pictured Esther's dead body on the floor, her sapphire-like eyes staring blankly at a fixed point, her blood pooling around her.

"Don't you dare come near Father Nightroad! Back off!" Esther cried out aggressively.

She could still remember all that she had witnessed; the handsome blond stranger from the restaurant who had brutally murdered his own comrades. Esther knew that she had narrowly escaped death when she had made the decision to trail Abel discreetly. And she had seen more than she wanted to.

She still remembered how her hands shook and her body had been paralysed by a sudden chill when she laid her eyes upon the bleeding corpse which bore the clothes of a priest. And the sight of the large pool of blood where the corpse's head should have been had barred her from ever attaining a dreamless slumber since that night of crimson rivers.

However, her fright then was nothing compared to what she felt now. Her hands were already touching the smooth surface of the polished wood of Abel's coffin, as though hoping for a miracle beyond the possible reality. And Cain seemed to loom over her, his insane smile never fading from his face. He tilted his head slightly towards her.

"Now, now Esther. It's not polite to be so rude to elders, especially since I was so gracious at the restaurant the other day. Just give me Abel and you'll still be able to keep that pretty face of yours," Cain coaxed her, but Esther shook her head at him stubbornly. Cain gave a sigh. He pushed back a blond lock that fell over his forehead. "Then it seems that I have no choice," he said regrettably, his facial features arranged in mock disappointment.

Cain's hand reached out to grasp Esther's arm so quickly that she only saw a blur of motion. With his hand gripping Esther, he shoved her aside and stepped close to the coffin. "Finally, Abel," Cain began, but his words were suddenly cut off when the coffin exploded.

A tremendous surge of power rose from the coffin, dark in colour, masking the place where the body should have lain. With the burst of power, a strong wind followed, stirring up the roses that had been delicately arranged around Abel's coffin. Cain had stopped in his tracks towards Abel's coffin and unconsciously released his hold on Esther's arm. The young nun's mouth was open in awe, her eyes fixed on the dark energy that had risen a few feet above the coffin.

Cain's blond hair danced in the wind, together with the crimson petals of roses. He could not even move, for his mind was clouded with disbelief. What had happened to Abel? Why did his coffin suddenly explode? Unlike the normal effects of an explosive, the surge of power did not die down. In fact, it became stronger and stronger.

Cain kept his blue eyes on the place where the dark power seemingly gathered that was a centre point that was irregularly shaped. The form started to take on a foetal shape, and Cain's eyes narrowed. Was it really-

A streak of silver was seen among the rush of black. When the dark cloud slowly thinned away, it revealed the bare form of a young man with long silver hair that snaked around his lanky body. His pale skin strikingly stood out among the darkness that hovered around him, and his hair shone a pale white in the candlelight.

Cain's startled face changed to one that held an eerily malicious smile. Cain's eyes roamed the exposed skin of Abel's body hungrily. What would he feel if he laid his hand on the skin of the pale figure or run his fingers through the strands of spun silver silk? Would he feel an immense softness and warmth that could send him reeling? The closed eyes of Abel opened very slowly, and a hue of blue that could rival the very colour of the sky shone. Cain took a step closer to the silver figure, his smile growing wider and wider with each step.

When Abel's eyes met ones very similar to his own, his stoic expression turned to anger. Cain laughed as he saw the pearly teeth of Abel starting to change into fangs.

"How does it feel to reborn, my beloved?" Cain called out against the strong wind that attacked both him and Abel.

At hearing Cain's voice, Abel gave a cry of outrage and held out his arms, as though to attack Cain. The silvery strands of Abel's hair were brushed up from his shoulders, and his body started to undergo the changes that he normally encountered during the activation of his nanomachines, save for this transformation generated more power, and Cain felt the floor of the church vibrate under the strong bolts of bioelectricity that sparked from Abel's body. Black wings emerged from Abel's back and closed around his form, concealing his transformation.

Cain licked his lips slowly, running his tongue lightly over the edges of his teeth on his upper jaw. He could only imagine how Abel's new form would turn out to be, now that he was mysteriously revived from death. So Seth had not been lying when she had warned him that there were more to the nanomachines than he knew. The question with no answer played in Cain's mind again and again.

Black feathers flew through the air as Abel's wings unfolded, revealing a humanoid creature with dark blue skin and piercing red eyes. Blue markings covered the whole of Abel's body and his skin changed colour from blue to white and blue again with each strong bolt of bioelectricity that pulsated from his wings. Flapping his wings strongly, Abel flew up to the stained glass windows and exited by bursting through a window.

Tiny sparks of bioelectricity ran through the church, although Abel was no longer there. All the time, Esther had seen all that had taken place, and her breath came in shallow gasps. Realising that Cain was still there she sprang away from him as though he had pointed a weapon at her.

Cain only laughed at her reaction towards him, and tossed his blond hair away from his shoulders. Cain closed his eyes, and issued a mental command to his nanonachines, approving their activation. White wings grew out from Cain's back, and enfolded him, just as Abel's had. Esther then saw a being which resembled a white-winged angel very closely, though the being that stood in front of her had startlingly white skin, red eyes and terrifyingly long dark blue claws. When he smiled at her, Esther shuddered at the sight of the long, sharp teeth.

"Till later, dearest," he said to Esther in a gravely voice. Cain then flapped his white wings and burst out through another window, heading out to the open skies.

When Cain had circled the skies and saw no sign of Abel, he smiled to himself. Abel was hiding somewhere, waiting for the right moment to emerge and announce his presence. Cain slowly lowered himself to an altitude that was not too high or too low. As soon as he had reached the perfect level, Cain caught a streak of silver and blue from the corner of his eyes.

Abel zoomed through the night sky, his dark blue body blending in with the dark clouds, though his entire form shone silver when a bolt of bioelectricity surged out from him. He halted in his flight as soon as Cain and him were a few feet away from each other, their red eyes fixed on each other, seemingly alike facial features fixed in different emotions. Abel's face was harsh with anger, his body flooding with even stronger bolts of bioelectricity as he gazed upon the golden-haired Crusnik before him. Cain meanwhile, kept on smiling at Abel.

"Darling, you're alive," Cain remarked casually, ignoring the bolts of electric power that came too close to his body. He gave his wings a gentle flap, letting a few white feathers fall down to the ground. "And I thought that you had died."

"Have you forgotten what happened when you killed Lilith?" Abel asked Cain, and the latter merely fingered his chin, careful not to scratch his skin with his claws.

"No, my dear. Feel free to refresh my memory," Cain answered, his body in a relaxed posture. Abel merely maintained the straightness of his back, his mind on the alert for any movement from Cain that stood out of the ordinary.

"You beheaded her and took her nanomachines to enhance your power. The exact thing you were planning to do to _me_," Abel said, his face turning even fiercer than before.

Cain could not help himself from laughing out loud at Abel's stressed tone on the last syllable in his statement. Cain then spread his arms open in a disarming manner.

"Abel dearest, _please_ don't take it personally," Cain purred, circling Abel so quickly that only a flash of white was seen for a second. "I was originally planning to spirit you away. You shouldn't have made me so angry! Perhaps if you didn't refuse so aggressively, things would have turned out differently. And I regretted killing you, you know. So I came back here to take a token of remembrance from you.

"Your nanomachines were the only thing left of you; you will live forever _inside _me. Both our combined powers, together with Lilith's, shall be more than enough to rule this world. I shall be your Messiah, your lover, your saviour, and I shall realise the dream you have always yearned for, the ultimate proof of my undying love for you. Wouldn't you want that, love?"

Abel bared his sharp teeth at Cain, and generated a large amount of electric current from his wings, sending it flying at Cain. The latter merely laughed and dodged it easily.

"When hell freezes over is the time when I'd hand my nanomachines over to you, you vile murderer!" Abel cried out, and held out his arm, closing his eyes in concentration. A long scythe made of crystallised blood, which was very much alike to the one he wielded during his incomplete Crusnik transformation, only that the present scythe had blades on each side, formed in his arm.

Witnessing Abel's move, Cain smirked and held out his own arm, materialising a black lance in his grasp.

Abel made the first move, striking a jet-hot bolt of bioelectricity towards Cain's chest. Cain flapped his wings as he saw the bolt coming, and managed to miss it by inches. Cain flew through the night sky, his movements unpredictable, for sometimes he soared up to higher altitudes, and at other times, he plunged down relentlessly nearing ground level.

Abel shot bolts to Cain relentlessly, though he tried his best not to destroy or inflict casualties upon the people who were down below. Cain only accepted all this with a smile, and did not strike back. Abel, however, had no mercy for Cain. He had never felt such a consuming desire to hurt a person just as he felt for Cain at that moment.

"Ha!" Cain spat, and finally wielded his black lance and aimed at Abel. The latter anticipated what was coming and quickly moved away from his present spot and moved to different positions with his supersonic speed. When Cain fired his destructive red energy, Abel was nowhere near to suffer the effects of it. "So, our lovely little Seth finally did some good, didn't she?" Cain was saying. "At least, there's something I can thank her for. Darling, you're truly magnificent in this form, you know."

"I didn't _ask_ for it!" Abel grated out. "Seth only gave me more nanomachines in order to stop you from committing heartless murders towards Terrans and Methuselahs," he explained between shooting electric bolts at Cain, and dodging Cain's attacks. "Tell me it wasn't about sheer pleasure when you killed those innocent people for the Orden."

Cain laughed at Abel's words, and fired more red energy at Abel. "No, beloved. That was merely an obligation to my aims. And just to let you know, it was all a play to make them believe in me. I never considered myself one of them, or aspired to create the future those fools always wanted. It's all very simple, really. You do what they want and they give you the liberty of doing whatever you want right after that.

"Isaak was a great leader, I have to admit, and he's deserving of the rank of _Magus_, unlike the old fool who held the same title many years ago. However, his death a few hours ago seems to contradict his greatness, and I truly wonder how he could have been so careless. And I'll come after his Puppeteer next."

Despite himself, Abel found his arm lowering his scythe. Seeing Abel do so, Cain followed suit, and tilted his head upwards to the sky, letting the wind ruffle his blond hair.

"You killed Isaak? And now you're going to kill Dietrich?" Abel found himself asking Cain. The blond merely nodded in satisfaction, and ran his hands through his hair.

"Why else would I lure Isaak here, you think? Fortunately, I managed to persuade Isaak to let Dietrich govern the Orden back in Berlin. If you've got Isaak and Dietrich together, it'll be quite a challenge to kill them off. But Isaak was too easy to kill; I suppose he was just too stunned at my betrayal."

Abel's face did not portray any emotion other than shock, and Cain found this slightly tiring. "My dear, it's all payback, naturally. And I'm not just stopping at Dietrich; the rest of them will pay the price of enslaving a Crusnik, just because I lacked a complete body. I have been their doll for all those centuries and now since I've gotten what I wanted, there's no need for them any more," announced Cain happily.

"And Dietrich, he's a dangerous one, that beautiful boy. He knows just too much, more than the lot of them do. After I'm done with him, finishing the rest up shan't be such a strenuous task. Chop of the main roots, the whole tree dies. Kill the leaders; the followers shall die as well, even if I'm not the one who wields the knife. Finally, all my laborious planning and hard work pays off," Cain said casually with a tone one would use for talking about the weather.

"You planned to _destroy_ the Orden?" Abel's voice came on incredulously. He could not believe that Cain was that insane to not tell the difference between friend and foe. He seemed to plunder on uncaringly, not even stopping to pause at his killings, never seeming to feel the guilt. Again, Cain's evil laughter rang through the dark skies.

"Don't use that tone, Abel. It's just so accusing," Cain said in a mock expression of hurt. "Why should you be so surprised anyway? I thought that that was the primary aim of the Vatican after all."

Abel's hands came up to hold his head in exasperation. Was there nothing but madness that lived within Cain? "You worked together with them!" Abel reasoned. "They offered you protection, and from what I gathered, Isaak was the one responsible for fixing your body when it fell apart due to your collision with the Earth's atmosphere."

Cain nodded at all this. "Which was caused by you and Seth, some caring people you both are," he said cynically, and loved it when Abel flinched. "So what if Isaak did all that? Don't you realise, Abel, that I used the Rosen Kreuz Orden only to bring me closer to you?" There was a pregnant pause following Cain's words. Even Abel felt his own lungs experiencing a complication in drawing in breath.

"You mean-" Abel began very slowly, trying to keep his breathing in check. "-you killed all those people-" Abel took in another deep breath of air, as he felt his heart beating so fast he thought it would explode in a mass of flesh and blood within his chest. "-because of _me_?" he whispered the last part of the sentence so quietly, that the normal hearing of a human being would not have picked it up. However, Cain heard it very clearly, and he erupted in a long bout of cruel laughter. He flew so quickly towards Abel and pinched Abel's cheek playfully and flew away before Abel could react.

"My dear, you were always so bright!" Cain said happily. Abel looked as though he had been rooted to his spot. When Cain spotted blood tears forming at the corner of Abel's eyes, he pouted. "Oh dearest, don't cry!" Cain tried to sound congenial. "You don't need to feel guilty about it, really darling. After all, _I_ did it. No one's blaming you."

Abel was now seething with rage, and he roared out in anger, the terrible sound echoing across the vastness of the skies. _"Cain!"_

With that cry of anger, Abel rushed at Cain, scythe extended, ready to strike. Abel's scythe met Cain's lance and latched onto each other as their owners tried to prise their respective weapons away and strike one another. The blue markings on Abel's body now flashed between blue and silver as more and more bioelectricity was generated from his body. Cain's black lance kept on shooting out thick beams of red energy, hungry for destruction.

Finally, Abel jerked his scythe away and aimed for Cain's heart. Seeing this, Cain flew up to the skies, soaring up to a higher altitude, and the moon grew bigger and bigger in the sky. However, their Crusnik bodies were well adapted to the air pressure and gave them no unfavourable effects. Cain's face alternated between an insanely smiling expression and a fierce look with sharp teeth bared.

Blood tears streamed out from Abel's eyes, as he felt the weight of the death of the innocents Cain had murdered pressing down on his shoulders. How could Cain dismiss the notion of killing innocents so trivially, Abel could only imagine.

Cain watched the trail of blood tears on Abel's cheeks, and his heart gave an unconscious twinge. However, his body reacted differently. Seeing this, he threw back his head and laughed. His lance kept on firing beams at Abel, loving the way the latter dodged them expertly. Abel's bioelectric bolts were now aimed closer and closer to Cain's heart, but narrowly missed, and only brushed Cain's spacesuit, leaving no burnt mark.

Cain, getting bored of firing narrow beams, launched a powerful one from his lance, smiling in glee as he aimed it for Abel's chest. The Crusnik who generated bioelectric fields in turn launched his own powerful bolt, targeted straight for Cain's incoming one. The two powers collided and clashed, neither one making it to the supposed target. The interference between the powers was destructive, cancelling the respective opponent, but Cain and Abel kept their lance and scythe unleashing their powers. When Cain stopped his lance from firing anymore and flew even higher in the sky, Abel drew back his scythe and flew up, following Cain. Strangely enough, Lilith's words echoed in his mind.

"_You and Cain will then fight, but neither of you will win over the other."_

Thinking once again, Abel came to comprehend that whatever attacks he used against Cain, Cain would not die. Although his mind processed the information correctly, Abel's eyes strayed longingly towards the Crusnik with two pairs of white wings, soaring gloriously through the dark sky. Could he really kill Cain?

Abel's red eyes suddenly flashed a sky blue, and as quick as it had come, the blue hue was replaced by red. Abel gripped the scythe very tightly in his hands, and was about to aim straight for Cain's heart when a voice cut across the air.

"Thinking of killing me now, are you?"

Abel slowly raised his eyes to match Cain's gaze. Cain had seemed to find particular delight in something, judging by the way his eyebrows were raised and how he showed off his teeth. Cain flew closer to Abel, liking the way Abel's breath hitched in his throat. Cain knew he could always be the one to stir unrest within Abel, whether or not Abel wished for it to happen.

A hand shot out from Cain, and before Abel knew it, Cain had grasped Abel's arm in a grip so tight, that his claws pierced through Abel's skin. Thin red streams started coming out from the wound, but Abel did not scream. He merely narrowed his eyes at Cain and swallowed down the pain.

"You know, Abel dearest, you're more like Lilith than you know it, for all your disputes with her when we were young," Cain was saying, and at the mention of the dead person's name, Abel started to jerk violently, but Cain held on, not caring if the wound grew deeper with his increasing pressure on Abel's arm. "The both of you are just too soft; you can't even kill the people close to you! Lilith especially, she could channel so much power to harm me, but when it came to delivering the death blow; she had not the heart to do so. And though you're sending attack after attack on me, it's because you know for sure that I'll defend myself against your attacks."

Cain's tongue darted between his teeth and licked his lips, loving it as Abel's face formed in an expression of disgust. Cain suddenly pulled Abel towards him, and whispered into his ear. "What if I choose not to defend myself? Will you actually _harm_ me?"

At hearing Cain's questions, Abel summoned up enough strength within himself to break free of Cain's grasp and soar towards the heavens, wishing to diminish the continuous echo of Cain's voice in his head. Deep down, Abel knew he could not do harm to Cain, the mere thought of it was almost able to kill him. But if Cain kept testing the limits of his patience-

"Why are you running away, my beauty?" Cain called out to him, his own white wings propelling him towards the figure that flashed silver. "Are my questions that disturbing? Then come now, Abel, admit it that you _still_ love me. If not, why did you ever choose to put on glasses if not to cover the obvious fact that your eyes seemingly mirror themselves as mine? Why did you tie your hair if not to erase the sensation of me stroking your beautiful silver strands?"

With each syllable that Cain punctuated, Abel felt his heart pounding even harder and harder. How true Cain's words were, but if Abel admitted to Cain that he still loved the latter, he would be unable to engage Cain in another combat. His heart simply would not allow him to. And so, for the better good, Abel steeled himself and faced Cain, ready to throw an attack merely to injure Cain in order for him not to provoke Abel any longer, but then, Cain had other ideas.

"I'm so thankful I've killed Lilith!" Cain cried out suddenly, sending a chord of burning fire through Abel's heart. "I'm so thankful that she's rotting in her grave, and no longer whispering ideas into your mind that turn you against me! How could you let that witch do so, Abel? She's poisoned you until you've even become like her, soft and weak!"

"_Liar!" _Abel cried out strongly, the one word echoing far across the skies they flew in.

In less than a second, Abel had wielded his scythe, aimed straight for Cain's heart and let out the strongest bolt of bioelectricity he had ever generated. By the strange work of Fate, Cain chose to move himself towards the right at that very moment in order to circle Abel and to torment him with questions that seemed to devour the latter's very sanity.

The bolt emerged from tip of Abel's scythe, and headed straight for Cain. The blond Crusnik's eyes widened in realisation, but the bolt had already brushed against his left arm, as electricity seared from his shoulder all the way down his wrist. However, the bolt still had not stopped moving although it had grazed Cain's arm, and collided with two of Cain's wings.

Cain let out a roar of pain and outrage. A fiery creature had erupted within his chest, consumed with the desire to destroy Abel. Blinded by the soaring pain that came from his open wound, Cain could not aim properly for Abel's heart and instead, the beam of red energy that emanated from his black lance reached Abel's wing, impaling it.

Another roar just as terrible as Cain's had been rose from Abel's throat as he felt himself slowly dropping down to the Earth, just as Cain presently was. In the long journey down to the Earth from the many altitudes they had flown up to, the both of them continuously fired their respective energies, thirsting to destroy each other. Abel's bolts of bioelectricity frequently collided with Cain's red energy, and sometimes soared through the sky, encountering no obstacle.

Although Abel tried to fire his bolts as much as he could, he found his energy slowly fading away, exhausted by his battle with Cain and weakened by the pain he experienced. Finally, he gave in to the overwhelming fatigue and his scythe halted in the motion of firing bioelectricity. Even Cain's red beams were no longer visible in Abel's eye. Once or twice, a white feather from Cain's wings fluttered down the sky, sometimes coming to fall on Abel's face.

His nanomachines were slowly deactivating, and now Abel's form had reverted to its original state, his free silver hair playing in the wind, his eyes shining the colour of the sky once more. Only Abel's wings remained, as they helped to lengthen the time of Abel's fall down to Earth.

A sound of wings clumsily flapping grew louder and louder in Abel's ear. When Abel turned his head to the left, he was more than surprised to see Cain by his side, smiling at him, his face splattered with blood. Like Abel, Cain's form had returned to normal, only his wings unchanged.

"Looks like we're even now," Cain was saying. "Judging by our injuries, I'd say we are." Cain's eyes trailed to Abel's bloody wing, while he touched his own bleeding shoulder.

Abel wished they had reached Earth, for the last thing he wished to see was Cain's face, smiling despite the slight contortion of his features from the pain he felt. And Abel suddenly felt guilty despite the whispers of his mind, as he came to realise that it was he who had caused the injury to Cain.

When a hand slipped around his neck, Abel jerked unconsciously, and found his own face an inch away from Cain's, their identical eyes boring into each other's.

"I'll see you soon, Abel, very soon," Cain purred, and strands of his blond hair brushed Abel's cheek. "You know how to find me, don't you, my love? I'll leave a trail so you won't be misguided," he said softly, his eyes flashing in delight at the close proximity he shared with Abel.

Out of the blue, Cain's lips came crushing upon Abel, forceful as though to leave an imprint. His tongue invaded Abel's mouth, as though revelling in the joy of dominance. When Abel finally tore himself away, Cain was laughing.

"Till soon, my beloved Abel!" he cried out, and with the last of the strength left in his wings, he soared away from Abel at his supersonic speed, his blood splashing onto Abel's face.

As Abel tasted the blood on his lips, he felt a desire to cry or crawl away and hide himself from the world. But then, his mind could not process any other information as he felt his back come into contact with the hard ground, with the sudden and excruciating pain as his vision turned black.


	25. Chapter 25: Aisure Tte Donna Koto?

Disclaimer: **Trinity Blood and its characters do not belong to me. And Within Temptation could never be mine too.**

Author's Note: Hello! If any of you are wondering why am I updating SUPER late, it's because I fell down from the stairs in my college hostel. And I ended up right-legged for a few days:S I'm so sorry! My laptop was at a far distance from me, cuz I was insisted to stay in bed!:(

This chapter might seem familiar, and if anyone can actually point out what makes it so, I'll give them a cookie;) love you all!

_This heart was hurt by the light and_

_I see your world that tries to deny us_

_Now everything that I love has died or has been shattered to pieces_

_It's always the same, they fear no way out_

~_Blue Eyes_ - Within Temptation~

The song for this chapter would be Saigo no Kajitsu sung by Maaya Sakamoto from Tsubasa Tokyo Revelations;) As says the chapter title…

* * *

::

**Silver and Blond**

**Chapter 25: Aisure Tte Donna Koto?  
**

_**(Just what does it mean to love?)**_

_**::**_

_The Vatican_

_::_

Abel woke up to the piercing brightness of the sun's rays. As soon as he opened his eyes, the rays passed through the little gap between both his eyelids and illuminated his vision. Abel reflexively closed his eyes once more, and slowly opened and closed them alternately, trying to adjust his vision to the golden brightness.

Memories came flooding back of golden hair, but Abel pushed them aside. It was just not the time to remember, it was the time for him to recover. Abel looked to his wounded shoulder and felt pain as though a sharp object had been embedded in his flesh and had not been extracted, the pain searing through his nerves. He gritted his teeth, determined not to let the sensation win over his fighting spirit.

Abel surveyed the area about him, and was shocked to see a head with blonde curly hair lying face down by his side on the bed. Abel realised that he was lying down on a bed located in the Treatment Wing of the Vatican, where the chosen few of the Vatican were treated. Even the Pope Alessandro XVIII, the younger brother of Caterina, had been sent to the wing when he had suffered from curable sicknesses.

Abel looked around the wing, satisfied that it was empty, and only Caterina and he were the only ones who were present. Abel spotted his spectacles on a desk not too far off from the bed where he lay. Ignoring Cain's words during battle, he sighed and stretched out his arm to reach his spectacles. Unfortunately, Abel was not so careful, and his body movement awakened the sleeping Caterina.

She awoke very slowly, and Abel's heart was pinched with guilt as he noticed the bags under her eyes, the clear sign of her lack of sleep. However, when she saw him, Caterina's grey eyes shone with happiness, and she threw her arms around his neck.

"Abel!" she cried out on his shoulder. Abel, grateful for the warmth she filled him with, put his own arms around her body and held her tight. When he felt slight moisture on his shoulder, he knew Caterina was crying.

"Caterina," he called her name gently, his uninjured arm coming up to stroke her blonde curls gently, trying to subside her upcoming sobs.

Caterina then pulled away and cradled his face with her hands, her mouth open in an expression of disbelief and wonder. She stroked the smooth skin of his cheek and touched the silver lock that fell over his forehead. She held him close once more, as though she feared he would evaporate into thin air as she held him.

"I thought you had died for a second time," she said, her words slightly muffled by the fabric of his thin garment allocated for the patients in the Treatment Wing. When she pulled away, her face was more controlled than the first time she had pulled away. She even managed to smile at him shakily, and Abel tried his best to smile back at her in hopes for her to be happy.

It seemed so hard for him to smile at that moment, what with the discovery of the truth behind Cain's grievous crimes and Lilith's prophecy.

"You brought my body back, and for that I owe much to you," Abel told her. Caterina only shook her head at this, her rosy fragrance reaching his nostrils. She smiled at him, and held his hand gently, their fingers interlacing with each other.

"No, I didn't. Esther found your body. I could not do anything, I had to remain here," Caterina explained, her face bearing a guilty expression. Abel squeezed her hands.

"You did the right thing, Caterina. I'm just very touched that you were the first person I saw when I woke up," said Abel. Caterina gave a true smile, and showed her pearly whites.

"I'm so glad you're all right, Abel," she spoke softly. Abel's eyes hardened at her statement.

"Cain is still out there," he said dryly. His blue eyes looked out to the bright sky, wondering where Cain was at the moment, and how severe his injuries were.

"Are you going to go after him? After what he did to you during your first enecounter?" whispered Caterina, her eyes full of meaningful warning, trying her best to discourage Abel from pursuing Cain.

Caterina was shaken by Abel's death, and when she had learnt that Cain had gone to the church where Abel lay in hopes of attaining the latter's nanomachines to add to his powers, Caterina had been nothing but in a frenzied state. She had almost lost her control, had it not been for the latest update sent by Esther regarding the success of locating Abel's body, whole and alive.

"How many people know that I'm alive?" Abel asked dodging Caterina's question, knowing the answer would only sadden her. Caterina looked down at her gloved hands for a moment, exhaling very slowly, and looked into Abel's eyes.

"Only Esther, Kate, Tres and I are the ones that know of your condition. The information was not disclosed to the other AX agents," she confessed. "Esther was the one who found your-" Caterina had to pause and collect herself, "-_body_ back in the laboratory in Londinium. She relayed the information to us, and that's how we all thought that you were dead.

"But when Esther witnessed the fight between you and Cain and found you once more, alive but barely breathing, she told it to me in secret. The others would not believe it, even if they saw you alive once more. The only others who know are Tres and Kate, whom we have nothing to worry about."

"Esther?" Abel asked for confirmation. Caterina nodded her head, her curls falling over her shoulders.

"She found you, and she and Tres both brought you back to Rome."

Abel paused for a moment at Caterina's explanation. He had been so worried for Esther, especially when Cain confronted her. And even in the church in Londinium, Esther had tried her best to prevent Cain from approaching Abel's coffin. Abel realised that he owed much to her.

"Caterina," he began. "I-"

"Esther will be coming here soon, I sent her to retrieve an object in my office." At Abel's questioning gaze, Caterina rose gracefully from her chair, her eyes never off his face. "Esther and I have been by your side ever since you were brought here in secret."

Abel frowned at her. "Caterina, you've been neglecting your duties just because-"

"Abel!" Caterina suddenly cried out, and Abel's eyes widened at her reaction. "If anything happened to you, I would not stop to blame myself because I was the one who sent you to Albion, even when I knew the possibilities of you facing true danger there. And when you were in the church, I failed to be perceptive and was not aware of the lax security that guarded you. According to Esther, Cain had walked into the church as though it had been so simple to go past the lines of security. Even Tres was no match for him! What would you expect me to do?"

Tears welled up in Caterina's eyes, and Abel felt the strong urge to rush forth to her and embrace her once more, just to stop her tears from flowing. The entrance door of the wing then opened to reveal a young nun with red bangs framing her face, running towards Caterina at full speed.

"Your Eminence, I've-" she was saying, and her words were stuck in her throat when her eyes met Abel's.

Esther found that she could not breathe, and her heart thundered in her chest. Witnessing her reaction, Caterina silently excused herself, gliding away gracefully in such a way that her regal figure managed to go unnoticed by Esther.

"Esther-san," Abel said her name, and by doing so, snapped her out of her daze. Esther blinked hurriedly, and wildly looked about for a chair. She pulled the closest chair to her quickly and sat on it, her face bowed and hidden by her bangs. "I want to thank you," said Abel earnestly. At hearing his tone, Esther looked up and her eyes watered, only by looking at him.

"Father, you had to know why I did it all," she said softly.

Abel shook his head, though he knew what Esther was coming at. He had been aware of it all the time, her adoring gaze, the beautiful smile she shot him when he cheered her up. But Abel knew he could never let Esther walk the path he chose for himself. He could not allow her to share the weight of the burden placed on his shoulders.

"Abel," Ester called him by his name for the first time. "I love you!" Esther burst out, and looked at her hands just after she had finished. There was a silence following her words, but it was not the silence that came before a harsh rebuttal.

"Esther-san." Esther looked up very slowly at her name being called by Abel. He was wearing a sad smile on her face, very much unlike the cheerful and jovial smile he had always given her during the times when they worked together in the Vatican. "I am a sinner, Esther. And please don't tell me that I do not deserve to call myself so. You don't know what crimes I've committed in the past, and the grave task that has been placed upon me since that fateful day almost a millennium ago.

"You cannot attach yourself to a monster like me, Esther. You are very pure, and you are well loved in the Lord's eyes. You have truly repented for your previous sins, and judging by the goodness of your soul that the Lord has granted you, you have been forgiven. You have seen my true form, Esther? What does it remind you of?" Abel asked her. Esther did not reply, but her eyes were locked with his in an intense gaze. "I am a monster, both in flesh and soul. I deserve not to have the love of an angel like you."

Esther had now sprung to her wits, and shook her head fiercely at him. "In the Bible, it stated that Abel was the person loved by God and that Cain was the sinner! Is it not the same with you and him?" Esther asked indignantly. "Put aside your past sins, Father. The Lord is always forgiving."

"My sins are too cruel for Him to forgive," Abel answered her shortly. Esther shut her eyes as though she was in pain, and when she opened her eyes, she gave him a smile that reflected her sadness. Never before had Abel seen such an expression on her face.

"I know that _he_ loves you," came her soft voice. Abel's eyes widened at the way she had said the fourth syllable of her statement. "And I know that you love him." Here, she took a breath before she continued. "All those years, when you saw people in love, I'd see you wearing a pained expression. And when Cain's name was mentioned by any of the AX, you'd have that very same expression. Even now, you are wearing it."

"Esther-"

"It's all right, Father," she told him brightly, though tears had trailed down her cheeks. "In my eyes, your love is pure. Perhaps, there are some things in you past that you cannot seem to forget or deny or leave behind." Abel was shocked at how perceptive Esther had been, and listening to her words gave him more comfort than she could imagine. "I only hope that someday, you will find the love you've always been hoping for. You deserve it, Father. Although you keep on denying it, you deserve it."

"Esther-"

"If you do wish to do a favour for me, Father, I have one small request to ask of you." Esther's sapphire eyes now shone with hope through the mist of her tears. "Please pray for me to find the love I've wanted all the time. Even though you're not the person to share my love with, I still care for you. My only regret shall be the fact that you've still not realised what a good and brave person you are, and how God loves you more than you think He does."

Abel watched as Esther rose from her chair and walked about the room, her pretty face now seemingly more mature than before. When she neared the door, she looked back at him. Trying her best to put on a happy face, she held her arms behind her back as schoolgirls did when they talked to their confidantes.

"I've been crowned as the new queen of Albion," she informed him, and Abel's mouth was open in shock. Esther laughed at this, though it sounded hollow and possessed no warmth. "I was told that I was brought away from the palace shortly after my father's murder." Esther's face turned sorrowful for a moment, but instantly smiled when Abel's brows creased in concern.

"I hope I can make a difference for the people of Albion, Father, just as you have a made a difference to those in the Vatican, and perhaps, even those outside the Vatican whom you helped during your missions." Abel wanted to say something, but once again, Esther was faster. "I'm so sorry you can't make it for my coronation, but Caterina-sama said that your condition was privy between the chosen ones. Goodbye, Father, and don't forget to wish me luck!"

Faster than his Abel's eye could catch her gaze for a last look, Esther had opened the doors and stepped out very quickly before she quietly closed them behind her. In the wing, Abel felt as though someone had doused him with cold water and then replaced it with a douse of warm water. The changes were too contrasting to the present, and too sudden for his liking. There was just too much information for him to process.

Esther's speech had been long, and rang true with each word she had uttered. She had known so much, for someone her age. And Abel found his eyes straying to gaze upon the closed doors almost sadly. Even if he had never loved Esther the way she had loved him, he did love her very much as a brother would love a sister. Somehow, Esther had reminded him of both Lilith and Seth.

Her red hair and the softness of her voice would always bring back happy memories of his days on the Ark with the gentle Lilith. When Esther's big eyes sparkled in delight in happiness, her joyful nature reminded him of Seth, the sister he longed to see. Like Esther, Seth would have been able to talk to Abel and tell him situations the way they were, albeit in a feistier manner, as she was his sister.

Abel only hoped that Esther would soon meet someone who could ease her sorrow and love her, as he had not been able to.

Unbeknownst to Abel, Esther had sunk to the floor in the corridor outside the wing. Her back leaned against the closed doors of the entrance to the Treatment Wing. Bringing her legs up to her chest and hugging them, Esther rested her forehead on her knees and cried.

To her, Abel would always be the most beautiful man she had ever met, not only beautiful in his physical aspects, but because the purity that existed within his soul was so breathtaking. If only Abel was strong enough to see it for himself, thought Esther sadly.

::

_Alexandria, The Abandoned City, The New Human Empire_

_::_

An empty street void of the soft footfalls of people who once used to dwell within the vicinity became a medium that bore the trail of blood. The tall, graceful pillars adorned with an architecture long forgotten became witness to one who bled on the same road.

Somewhere behind the large stone slabs that used to be the foundation of a mansion, a young man with golden hair hissed in pain. He looked up to the sky, and found himself lost in a dark blue sea spangled with silver.

_Silver_, Cain thought to himself vaguely. He gave a brittle laugh. His right hand clutched at his left arm. His eyes narrowed at the sight of the blood flowing out from a deep gash in his left shoulder. The gash was long, stretching all the way from his clavicle to his wrist on his left arm.

Cain gave a sigh. He straightened himself, which was a task fairly difficult, considering his position. Ironically enough, he sat in a pool of his own blood. His torn white outfit was bathed in a bright, crimson red. He shut his eyes and issued a mental command to his body. He felt a gush of activity rush through him for a moment, before he felt aware of the changes that had occurred within his own flesh.

When he opened his eyes, a red light shone out from the irises. The blood that pooled around him was now drawn slowly into the open wound. He brought his left arm close to his mouth with much difficulty and started to lick the gaping wound. As his tongue made contact with his skin, he could feel the dead cells in his skin slowly being replaced by new cells, and his wound underwent a sluggish recovery.

This was how it was, being injured by another of his own kind. Attacks from others left no effect on him whatsoever. But this time was different. _He_ had attacked. The eyes that shone red suddenly dimmed in their reddish glow, and were replaced by clear, blue eyes. They were same eyes of his attacker.

"Abel," the blond Crusnik whispered to the wind.

He looked out at the night sky, and his gaze fell on the crescent moon, a thin silver curl among the ebony night sky. For some reason, it reminded him of a lock of Abel's hair. Cain then gave another laugh, wondering why Abel always drifted into his mind for some reason. Cain scrutinised the wound on his shoulder, and frowned subtly. The wound did heal to a certain extend, though the recovery was not as progressive or promising as Cain had hoped it would be. His eyes narrowed.

"Why am I not healing as fast as I normally should?" Cain mused out loud, his fingers touching the blood that trickled out from the open wound. The skin at the ends of the wound still had not joined. Cain's hand slapped the floor, sending tiny droplets of his own blood splashing onto his face.

"Damn you, Abel," he hissed to the air around him. "Because of your lack of anger management, I suffer at your carelessness." Images of Abel wielding the scythe and releasing the powerful electric bolt flashed in Cain's mind, making him even angrier.

Cain tried to move his arm, and found that he could not. His hand that had slapped the floor was still on the floor, though his shoulder was higher in the air. A viscous, black liquid joined the empty space between the joint of his elbow and his lower arm. Cain gritted his teeth, witnessing the ugliness of his body falling apart.

"Damn you too, Isaak, and your useless progress reports and data," Cain muttered irritably. He had thought that his analytical mind had surmised the correct facts, and that his body's current state was just as perfect as it had been created. Unfortunately, the battle with Abel had done more than tear open severe wounds and deep injuries.

Nevertheless, Cain's cunning and sly mind were already forming plans. He needed to get back to the headquarters of the Orden, and hopefully, Isaak's papers would be where he expected them too.

During the time Cain spent in the Orden, he had been undeniably close to the Panzer Magier, who in turn entrusted him with information privy to only Cain and Isaak. Cain had watched Isaak, and picked up several of Isaak's wondrous skill at handling machinery engineered using Lost Technology. While Isaak fixed Cain's body parts together, Cain had learned a thing or two, should a worst-case scenario arise.

However, Cain was very much aware that with the current state of his body at that moment, he could not make it beyond two blocks and head to the Rosen Kreuz Orden's headquarters. He needed his body to hasten the healing process, and only one solution seemed to be present in Cain's eyes.

As Crusniks, Cain, Abel and Lilith had been taught by Seth that the blood of Methuselah helped to sustain their body at its optimum state. When Cain had been infused with 100% Crusnik, the high concentration of nanomachines enabled him to fuse with his nanomachines completely without having to feed on a Methuselah moments before.

Cain then looked to his gaping wound, cursing, as the blood flow did not seem to cease. He knew what he needed at that moment. Cain was both relieved and joyful when the hasty spur of his wings during his escape from his last battle with Abel at Londinium had carried him off to a lost city.

The last thing Cain needed was Methuselahs who took particular delight and pleasure in instigating the purpose of a stranger who recently came to their city. He did not want any person to nose around his business, and he was glad he had privacy and silence all to himself. Alexandria had been abandoned centuries ago, when the capital of the Empire had switched from Alexandria to Byzantium after Armageddon met its fateful ending.

Cain suddenly stood up, and slipped the spacesuit over his exposed shoulder and straightened it out, hoping that he looked presentable. It had been a while since he fed on Methuselahs, and he found himself strangely thirsting at the thought of the warm liquid slowly trickling down his throat. Cain could taste it as though it was nectar in the very air he breathed in.

"I promised you I'd leave a trail, didn't I, Abel?" he asked as he looked out at the abandoned city.

"And you shall receive most prominent details of my presence."


	26. Chapter 26: Michi wa Tsuzuku Nishi e

Disclaimer: **Trinity Blood and its characters do not belong to me. And Within Temptation could never be mine too.**

Author's Note: Hello! Yes, a very fast update, because I'm stung with guilt at the super late one due to my clumsy calamity:( and why the previous chapter seemed so familiar was because part of it was a reference to the first chapter!:D cookies to you brainy people out there!!

There's gonna be quite a length of italics in this chapter, because there will be a major flashback. I'm not really giving out a spoiler, but just a fair warning should any of you be confused;)

::

He's torn between his honour and the true love of his life

He prayed for both but was denied

~_Hand of Sorrow_ - Within Temptation~

::

Hand of Sorrow is a truly beautiful song. Yet another song to add to my Cain and Abel dedication music list. For the title, it's gotta be from Kirameku Namida wa Hoshi ni from the anime Fate/Stay Night, sung by Tainaka Sachi, one of my favourite Japanese singers.

* * *

**Silver and Blond**

**Chapter 26: Michi wa Tsuzuku Nishi e Higashi e  
**

_**(The road continues, westward and eastward)**_

_**::**_

_**::**_

Abel walked through the strong wind that blew against his face, pushing back the strands that framed his face. His eyes, which used to shine with silent laughter during the days of an AX agent, now gleamed with an unreadable blue hue. It was an expression of coldness and mystery, one that Abel only wore when he had experienced death for the first time, and his soul had met Lilith's.

At that moment, he could feel the dead souls flying down from the sky and spreading across his shoulders, heaving their heavy weight down on his body. Abel could almost feel their sorrow clinging onto his feet and dragging themselves with each step he took. Cain too, had revealed the darkest side of him that Abel had seen ever since insanity had claimed his mind. Abel's heart was undeniably troubled, and he did need a confidant.

Caterina had been busy with Esther's coronation, and Abel had been strictly prohibited from seeking the presence of the other AX agents, as they knew not of his existence. Even his own grave had been marked in the Vatican burial ground. Abel saw his close friends, Leon, William and even Vaclav, visiting his grave. Their faces had been etched with sorrow, and it took Abel all his might not to rush forth to tell them of his true condition.

If it had not been for Caterina's silent plea in her grey eyes, Abel might have gone against the protocol. Laws seemed unimportant when the weight of the world crashed upon him. What were the countless decrees passed by Terrans who considered themselves superior when compared to the danger of another Armageddon emerging? The thought itself could have shocked a faint-hearted person very badly.

The Vatican had replaced Abel's priest robes with the robes of a knight of the Vatican, complete with a set of armour bearing the crucifix. However, Abel wore the spacesuit he had not worn for many years underneath his dark clothing. Somehow, it had been difficult for him to let it alone inside his cupboard in his room back in Rome.

When Abel had slipped the spacesuit on and gazed into the mirror, letting his hair free and taking off his glasses, he saw the same young man in the mirror that had seemingly been absent from his life during the times when he served the Catholic Church as a priest. Abel had quickly tied his hair back and slipped on his glasses when he found the unwanted memories slipping from the back of his mind, tormenting him with the reminiscent beauty of the times he held dear to his heart.

A faint sound of a person clearing his or her throat reached Abel's ears. When he turned to the left, he saw a cloaked figure, his face hidden save for several long strands of pale yellow that escaped from the under his hood. As Abel faced the person fully, the cloak was thrown aside, and a person seemingly young from his built came into sight.

Abel found himself staring into the auburn coloured eyes of Ion Fortuna, Childe of Moldova, Count of Memphis, and no other than the grandson of Mirka Fortuna. As Abel drew his brows together at Ion, the latter stepped forward.

"I knew of your revival from Esther," he said. Abel frowned, knowing that Esther would not have entrusted a secret of the Vatican to another person, let alone a Methuselah. Seeing the look of disbelief on Abel's face, Ion quickly continued. "She told me nothing, though I surmised for myself that it had to be it when the look in her eyes mirrored her own feelings."

Abel did not say a word, as though urging Ion to continue. "When a person dear to us has died, Father, we would be seen carrying a look of immense sadness and regret in our eyes, just as you always have been. However, if the person dear to us has left us on a mission where his life is not even vouchsafed to prevail, lost hope would play in shadows across our faces. Esther's face bore the latter."

Abel stared for a few moments at Ion, doubting for a second whether Ion had truly discovered all he did by merely interpreting what Esther's emotions portrayed. Sensing Abel's insecurity, Ion spoke once more. "Unlike Terrans, we Methuselah have a sharp sense of smell. Your scent was unmistakable, especially when it stands out from the rest, different than that of a Terran and Methuselah. It was by your scent that I managed to track you here."

Abel then wondered whether Ion knew of him being a Crusnik, but judging by the knowing look on Ion's face, Abel was certain that the young Methuselah was one of the few who possessed the information.

"For the past seven months, I've been tracking down Cain Knightlord," said Abel to Ion, getting straight to the point. However, he tried his best to keep any feeling out of his voice when he spoke Cain's name. Abel was unsure whether Ion was capable of being trusted, though his heart whispered to him of the honest look in Ion's eyes. "Cain Knightlord is the one of the leaders of the Rosen Kreuz Orden, besides Isaak Fernand von Kämpfer, the Methuselah who was responsible for much genocide launched by the Orden."

Abel looked up to the sky, searching the clouds for a sign that could not see. How in the world did Cain expect Abel to navigate his way to find the other Crusnik?

"If he is indeed who you say he is, then I offer my assistance to you, Nightroad-sama," Ion said humbly, even bowing slightly before Abel. The blue eyes travelled to the bowed head, and Abel gave a sigh. It seemed almost cruel of him to pull Ion into the endless maze he now stood in.

"Your Lordship, I do not deserve to receive such a high honour from you," Abel admitted frankly, hoping to discourage Ion somewhat. The Methuselah did not budge from his spot.

"Nightroad-sama, the Orden has done much damage to me as well as my race. They infiltrated the palace, fired up the spirits of the hardliners, and even attempted assassination upon the Empress herself." Ion paused for a while, his serious voice turning soft as he said the last sentence. "And they took my _tovaras_, Radu, from me." Abel looked to Ion, feeling the sadness that almost mirrored his own. But then, Ion raised his head, his expression determined and strong.

"Because of all I have mentioned, and including the countless deaths of both Terran and Methuselah, I will fight alongside you. And Nightroad-sama, I wish us to be as equals while we journey on this lofty quest. Therefore, I beseech you to call me by my name. I believe that you are more deserving of respect compared to me."

Abel shook his head kindly at Ion. "You are of noble lineage of the Empire. I accept your offer of being equals, but I shall nevertheless address you as Ion-sama." At Abel's statement, Ion's serious face turned into a smile, but reverted to its grave expression when Abel moved forth towards the hills that overlooked the view of the lost city of Alexandria, deserted for decades. Why had he chosen to start at that place, Abel could find no reason located within the chambers of his mind. But somehow, there was a feeling, a strange feeling of that refused to relent from tugging on his instincts.

Ion stepped close to him, resolution shining in his face. He seemed so determined and serious; yet so sincere in fighting the cause Abel and he shared. Abel felt a strange comfort arise within him, with the knowledge that the battle he faced was not only between the evil and him alone.

::

::

_The City of Aswan, The New Human Empire_

_::_

Cain raised his head up slightly from the slashed neck of the Methuselah he fed on. The golden bangs that fell over his forehead were now stained with the crimson hue of fresh blood. Cain's blue eyes shone a piercing red, his smile widening and baring sharp white teeth while he felt the nanomachines speed up the recovery processes that occurred throughout his body. The pain, which gnawed at his shoulder, now lessened to a dull sensation, which did not seem to disappear. However, it was nothing what Cain could not cope with.

The hunger that was subdued temporarily suddenly returned at a full force, and Cain found himself plunging his face into the girl's neck, his jaws wide open, his teeth ready to mark fresh new wounds. The girl gave a futile attempt to struggle, which was quickly silenced by Cain's claws digging into her flesh. Despite that, the girl still thrashed against his hold, however fruitless her efforts seemed to be. Her determination was unwavering, though the firm set of her jaw was not seen as Cain's long blond strands covered her face.

Cain drew in the last drop of blood in her body mercilessly as the form he held in his arms became unmoving and turned colder and colder with each second that passed. Finally, when he could draw no more blood from her lithe body into him, Cain gave an unsatisfied sigh and slowly sat on his knees, looking at the dead girl.

Her green eyes were wide open, as well as her mouth which opened in the shape of an 'O', both features giving the impression that she had seen a terrible vision during the last few moments of her life. When Cain's eyes went down to survey the rest of her body, he stared for a reasonably long time at her neck. The skin was torn apart savagely, the fine bones of her neck jutting out from the open flesh, as though an animal had ripped her throat out. The blood vessels were severed, their ends poking out from the large opening.

Had Cain been a normal person, he would have rushed out first thing after witnessing such a horrific scene and heave a mouthful of sick. Her skin was deathly pale, even paler than normal dead people were, due to the unbelievable amount of blood drawn out from her body, for Cain had left not a single drop. The girl was spread-eagled out on the floor, her clothes torn in force, not to bare her body, but as though someone had gripped on her clothing too firmly to still her frantic movements.

Finally, Cain's eyes rested on her hair. The colour of her perfectly formed ringlets was scarlet, though it shone a dark red in the moonlight. Cain narrowed his eyes at the familiar red hue, and pulled out a curl from her head. He looked most carefully at the ringlet, loving the way it curled around his fingers. Then, his gaze returned to the girl's shocked face. If only she had been a blond or black-haired, she would have possessed the chance to live another day.

"Your hair killed you, my pet," Cain told her, as though the girl still had life in her form and had been listening to Cain. However bizarre the statement seemed at that time, truth rang within each of the words.

Giving yet another of his sighs, Cain stood up and headed for the door, feeling extremely lucky that the young girl had lived alone. The last thing he needed were alarmed family members rushing to the scene, their faces full of vibrant anger, fingers curled into fists, their violent actions speaking louder than their harsh words.

When Cain last looked back at the girl, he saw for a moment the dead body of Lilith, spread-eagled on the floor, though Lilith's face had not been bearing the expression of shock as the girl that stood a few feet from him did. Shaking his head quickly, Cain exited the house, his face now painted with a satisfied expression.

So far, the three months he had spent in Aswan had been perfect. Every month, a young Methuselah girl would be the sacrifice to appease the hunger that raged within him. Cain could still remember the events that had happened when his strange appetite made its debut appearance.

_The pain in his torn wing and wounded shoulder was excruciating, but Cain was more than thankful that he had bound his wound tightly with the torn fabric of his white cloak until he was extremely assured that no blood would trickle out from the wound. The last thing he needed was a trail of blood that pointed out the places he ventured to. Despite the fierceness of the previous battle with Abel, Cain's spacesuit hardly experienced any damage. The bloodstains had now disappeared from the fabric, leaving an impossibly stark whiteness. _

_Finally, the familiar sight of the tall belfry met Cain's eyes, and he found a smile settling on his flustered expression. But Cain could no longer fly, and he had to make a landing before he fell. As Cain's vision grazed the ground below, he met the beautiful eyes of a young man, alone in the garden, looking straight at him. _

_Cain smirked to himself, landing gracefully onto the ground despite his injuries. At seeing the Crusnik in such a terrible state, Dietrich rushed to Cain, a frown settling upon his fine features._

"_Cain-sama, what happened to you?" asked Dietrich concernedly. _

_Cain merely bent over, trying to catch his breath. The flight from Alexandria to Berlin had been more than exhausting, and Cain felt more drained than he had ever been. He needed Methuselah blood, fast. Brushing past the Terran, Cain strode across the courtyard towards the entrance. Dietrich followed, his gaze more confused than ever._

"_I don't understand," Dietrich admitted ruefully. Only with Cain and Isaak did his express his true feelings, for Dietrich had always looked at them both in a different way compared to the others. Cain was the person who inspired him during his lonely childhood, and together, Cain and Isaak had nurtured Dietrich into the person he was now. _

"_Didn't you say that you'd return with Isaak-sama and Guderian? Where are they now? And who injured you?"_

_When Cain did not reply, Dietrich started to be wary. It was not like Cain to act this way, ignoring his every word. It was as though a thick wall of ice separated him from the blond Crusnik. And Cain's face had that chilling expression, one he wore before a massive killing. Unless-_

_In a period shorter than one could draw in a breath of air, Cain snapped Dietrich's puppet strings like a dry twig with the mere wave of his arm. He could hear Dietrich give an exclamation of a surprise, bringing a glint into his blue eyes. Cain finally whirled around, giving a smile. _

"_You thought that Melchior was the only person who could resist your puppet strings, Terran?" Cain demanded mockingly. _

_At the sound of the word 'Terran', Dietrich involuntarily flinched. No one in the Orden, not even Isaak, had once addressed him by that degrading word. Even Cain had never used it on him, and hearing it from the Crusnik's lips made Dietrich narrow his eyes. The wait that Dietrich had gone through, each day hoping for a word from his mentor or idol had merely been the calm before a storm. And Dietrich had a sickening feeling in his stomach that there was more to Isaak and Guderian's absence than met the eye._

"_It is a waste, such beauty and intelligence bequeathed to a Terran, and not a Methuselah," Cain remarked to Dietrich's face, loving it when the colour vanished from the boy's complexion. Satisfied with his progress, Cain carried on._

"_Do you know how low I've stooped over the years of having you in the Contra Mundi? A Terran, of all people! An utter disgrace to me, I- Major Cain Knightlord of the Alliance Aerospace Navy, one of the few in the past who bore the great title of _Magus_- allowing some Terran filth to join the Order of the Magi and the Rosen Kreuz Orden, the new face of the Contra Mundi. If it had all been up to me, I would have killed you right away in Germanicus! _

"_You who were so stunned at seeing a being more powerful and superior to you, you hungered for my praise and attention. Well, the painful truth was that you were never more than what you are now- nothing more than some filthy Terran scum- regardless of your abilities. You were never as excellent as the average Methuselah, what more a Crusnik? That was Isaak's ultimate flaw, dreaming of a haven of genetically perfect beings. That can never be realised, none on this world can match the splendour of the genetic structure of the Crusniks. _

"_Therefore, I must confess that I am thoroughly exhausted with both Methuselah and Terran, you are all greedy, conceited, selfish pigs. And I'll tell you what, nothing will ever satisfy you, even if someone offered you the world, you'd only lust for more. Well, here's one thing to smother that blasted ego of yours, we Crusniks didn't just have power over Earth; we ruled _Mars _itself."_

_Dietrich's eyes widened even more when heard the last statement. Even though he had known the many facts of the Red Mars Project by heart, the fact itself still stunned him as though it had been his first time hearing it. _

"_So that makes us Crusniks _gods_."_

_Dietrich could not bear the degradation sewn through Cain's soft seductive voice echoing in his ears any longer. With an undignified yell of fury and uncontained outrage, Dietrich launched himself at Cain with all he had. _

_The only sounds that followed were a choked gasp from Dietrich and the chilling sound of Cain's cruel laughter echoing through the room. Dietrich lay at Cain's feet, dark red blood pooling out from his mouth. His eyes were wide open, his face contorted from the searing flames of pain that rushed through his body, starting from the large gaping circle bordered with charred flesh in the middle of his lower torso. Dietrich knew his alimentary canal had suffered an extensive amount of damage, and knew that he had only seconds to live. _

_A ringing sound of footsteps echoed in his ears, and he knew that Cain stood over him, leering at his dying body._

"_So frail," Cain whispered. "Just a pulverised beam of energy, and that spells the end of your pitifully short life."_

_Dietrich struggled and turned his face to the side to look into the cool, deceiving blue of Cain's eyes. Cain only smiled sweetly at the glare Dietrich fixed on him._

"_I really don't feel like being nasty, so where are my manners?" Cain said offhandedly, and knelt down to see the life slipping out of Dietrich's beautifully shaped eyes. "Any last words?" sang Cain._

_Dietrich coughed first, before grating out through his clenched teeth. "Bastard." _

_This only caused laughter to erupt from Cain's chest and the blond threw back his head and howled madly. "Like father like son, right?" Cain asked, and paused to think awhile. "No, that's not right. Like mentor like protégé, yes, that's more like it. You know Dietrich that that was the same thing Isaak said to me. Isn't it beautiful? You and him dying the glorious death of life's true warriors like warrior poets. Ah… I'm almost jealous," Cain remarked with a wink. Then, the humour slipped from his eyes and was replaced with cold blue orbs._

"_In the first place, I never had parents," Cain said stonily. "Just a group of demented scientists whose twisted experiment produced the most beautiful outcome; the origination of gods."_

_With that, Cain stood up and prepared himself to leave. Suddenly, he paused in his tracks and looked once more at the crumpled form of Dietrich._

"_Just let this be the last words you hear before your miserable existence is wiped off this cursed planet. If we Crusniks are gods, and the Methuselah low-life mortals, that would definitely put you pathetic Terrans as something less than dirt underneath our shoes."_


	27. Chapter 27: Donna ni Nigetemo Tsukamaete

Disclaimer: **Trinity Blood and its characters do not belong to me. And Breaking Benjamin could never be mine too.**

Author's Note: Finally, Chapter 27:) I just feel really happy, cuz I'm flat out tired today, but I really felt that I had to update, so here it is:D

Ahh, the cruelty of Count Cain. Oops, that's Godchild;p oooh, this is Trinity Blood, got confused a little, heehee;p can you believe, this whole chapter is all for him? Well, let's hear it for Cain!:D

About the last chapter, my lovely pet sis Jhanna did comment on the Abel-Ion exchange, but in a very amusing way, that i had to put it up;p

**And that Abel-Ion banter was funny.. I can't help but think that there's a scene that's been cut and it goes like this.. 'Just Abel' 'No, Nightroad-sama!' 'ABEL' 'NIGHTROAD-SAMA' 'Dammit -smirks- ION-SAMA' 'What so that's how we play it now eh?! ESTHER!! ABEL IS BEING MEAN TO ME!!'**

::

::

You gotta fight just to make it through

'Cause I will be the death of you

:

~_Breath - _Breaking Benjamin~

:

:

I love _Breath_!!!! It's just very touching, I watched a Sephiroth FVII video tribute with Breath as the background music, and it was super cool! This is one super duper cool rock song! For the title, it's Higurashi no Naku Koro Ni from the anime of the same name, sung by Eiko Shimamiya. I think this song is creepy, for some reason. Well, that suits Cain perfectly.

This scene continues from where it stopped the last chapter. Cain's flashback-ing, and he's in Aswan right now.

* * *

**Silver and Blond**

**Chapter 27: Donna ni Nigetemo Tsukamaete Ageru  
**

_**(No matter how you'll get away, I'll capture you)**_

_**:**_

_:_

_Cain saw that the window that led straight to Isaak's study was open and light seeped through the gap between the thick curtains. Without giving a single care or thought, Cain gave a strong flap of his wings and burst through the window, shattering the glass and tearing open the curtains. Amidst the crashing sound of glass bursting into splinters and the ripping sound of the seams of fabric breaking apart, two shouts, followed by a string of obscenities, were heard._

_Cain slowly descended to the ground, his feet receiving minimal impact as his wings gracefully flapped the air for him to land comfortably. He looked at the two men who had shouted, one bearing a mysterious and dark gaze alike to his twisted personality, whereas the other, though strong in physique, bore a feminine grace and cowered behind the dark one. Cain smiled at them very slowly._

"_Alas Melchior, Kaspar," Cain called out to the dark one first, then to his brother hiding behind his back. "It is only me," said Cain. At this, Kaspar gave a shaky smile and came away from Melchior, bowing before Cain respectfully. However, Melchior did no attempt to move, as if he sensed something sinister radiating from Cain._

"_Cain-sama," Kaspar was saying. "We have received the most terrible news. Is it true that the Panzer Magier is no more?" _

_Hearing Kaspar's question, Cain's features settled into a melancholic expression. "Yes, I fear so. It's just as I told you. While trying to obtain the Blueprint of the Gods, our progress was put to a halt by our favourite Vatican priest. It was a fierce duel between us. Even Guderian had to pay with his life. Isaak sacrificed himself trying to protect me," Cain lied smoothly, taking in joy at seeing Kaspar's horrified expression. _

_However, Melchior's stoniness only amused Cain. _Let's see how stoic you can be when I feed on _you, thought Cain to himself. _

"_The priest was very powerful, and I was the only one who was able to make it out alive. What a pity it was that Isaak died in such away," Cain said dramatically. Melchior still remained silent, his eyes carefully watching Cain, whereas Kaspar had gasped and sat himself in a chair as if to calm himself down. _

"_And where is the Marionettenspieler now? Didn't you encounter him in the garden?" asked Melchior. "I wish to have an audience with him. It seems that the information disclosed to us by him and by yourself do not tally, which is most odd," said Melchior eventually, though the purpose of his statement was deemed more likely as to probe Cain rather than spark a casual conversation. _

_Cain's eyes flickered over to Melchior, and flashed dangerously for a moment before going back to sparkle with humour._

"_Dietrich von Lohengrin is dead by my own hand," announced Cain. This had Kaspar up on his feet once more and even Melchior had exclaimed out loud. Cain waved their shock aside, running his free hand through his hair, ignoring the pain in his shoulder. "He insulted me greatly, and the chit of a Terran even dared to attack me. His betrayal and incompetence was his downfall." _

_Now, Melchior stepped forward, as though his worse suspicions had been confirmed. "I suppose it was he who gave you that injury," said Melchior critically, his eyes resting on Cain's bandaged shoulder. Cain only smiled and shook his head._

"_As if a weak Terran could do this to me," he spoke sarcastically, his face expressing disgust. Melchior's eyebrows rose slowly. Cain had never addressed Dietrich that way before, though the entire Orden knew perfectly that Cain's loathing towards the human race was more than just a simple prejudice that most Methuselahs had for Terrans. "No my observant Melchior, this injury has been inflicted on me by someone who is just like me."_

"_The Vatican priest is that powerful?" Kaspar asked incredulously. Cain only widened his smile. _

_Melchior and Kaspar both exchanged looks, wondering if Cain was truly comprehending the seriousness of the situation. If the other Crusnik could have inflicted such damage upon Cain, then a defeat was half-expected from Cain's side during the next battle._

"_Then, we shall serve you, Cain-sama, considering that there is no other leader left to guide us to our most sacred aims," said Kaspar, his hand extended out gracefully, paying his homage to Cain. Melchior still remained in the shadows, his eyes betraying nothing as he saw his brother bowing before the Crusnik. _

"_What can we be of help with?" a voice came from the door. _

_The three men's gazes went to the person standing at the door, and met the face of Susan von Scorzeny, her skin standing out visibly from her vibrant red hair. The androgynous woman was well known for her piloting skills, and Cain had to pay her much respect for that. Nevertheless, her skills in handling Lost Technology were nowhere near outstanding, but her service to the Orden was essential in their countless successes._

_Susan's face betrayed nothing of her reaction towards the news that had recently reached her ears. Her composure was unchanged, her stoic expression in place. Cain smiled at her brightly._

"_Thank you for offering your assistance most generously, my honoured Baroness," he told her, but Susan's face did not experience any changes. Cain was more than used to her lack of emotions and merely faced the rest. "I have a score to settle, and like the things we desire the most, it takes a long time for me to achieve this aim of mine."_

"Your_ aim?" _

_Everyone in the room looked at Melchior, who had slipped out of the shadows and came into the light, which illuminated his facial features, twisted into an unreadable expression, which was by no means gentle or welcoming, but echoed of hostility and hate. "The members of the Orden are only obliged to fulfil the goals of the Orden, and not your personal desires," stated Melchior flatly. _

_Kaspar looked frightened and slowly backed up towards a bookshelf located at one corner of the room all four of them stood in. Even Susan seemed to notice the building tension between them. Unlike Kaspar, she took a step forward, as though to listen better to the words exchanged between Cain and Melchior. Cain had regarded Melchior's frank statement just as he regarded everything else. His smile had not yet been wiped off his face._

"_However, Melchior, as our honourable Isaak and brilliant Dietrich have passed on, am I not now regarded as the leader of the Rosen Kreuz Orden? Is my primary aim not the top priority of all the other members as well?" Cain asked sharply. He locked fierce gazes with Melchior, who finally turned his eyes away from Cain and bowed in respect and agreement._

"_Your wish is our command, Cain-sama," Melchior spoke with an obedient tone to his perfectly pronounced words. _

_Cain smiled at all of them, his delight overflowing in the trap he was snaring the three of them into. He spread his hands out openly, and said with the most relaxed and simple tone he could,_

"_I wish for your blood."_

_Both Susan and Kaspar stared at Melchior, then at Cain, wondering whether the both of them were included as well in Cain's statement. Seeing their confusion and Melchior's disbelieving look that he wore on his face, Cain frowned at them._

"_Oh dear, did I use a language too complex for all your brilliance?" Cain faked his exasperation, and clicked his tongue while putting his hands on his hips. "Let me say it in a complete sentence then. I wish for the blood of all _three_ of you." None of the three moved, but their faces became paler and paler as the clock hands ticked. Cain advanced on them, his eyes bearing an unmistakable meaning in their blue ice, his pose and expression threatening. "I _demand _it."_

_A dreadful silence followed, and Melchior and Kaspar exchanged glances. Had their leader really lost his mind? Of late, he had been acting strangely, but nothing had ever come to this extent. The reason behind his request was unfathomable, though the von Neumann brothers preferred to _not _know the reason. _

"_Why?"_

_Everyone stared in shock when Susan had spoken. It was not just because she rarely spoke; therefore her words normally were the most rational things a normal person was supposed to say during a given situation. However, what made Susan's gentle outburst strange was the voice she had used. Usually, Susan's voice was deep for a woman, reflecting her androgynous personality. _

_This time, her voice was soft, and that confirmed her gender as a woman. There was also mild curiosity and even a bit of fear laced in her words, though it was not definite. Cain was the first to recover from the long pause._

"_I need it," he told them curtly. "As a Crusnik, I am supposed to feed on the blood of Methuselahs. That is the ultimate food I crave for; Terran blood is only a temporary relief. What now with this injury," Cain lifted up his injured arm with much difficulty to display to the members of the Orden. "I need Methuselah blood more than ever, in order to heal. And I need it _now_."_

"_You thought we'd just hand over our blood to you on a silver platter?" asked Melchior softly, though in contrast to Susan's voice, Melchior's words were laced with venom. He raised his eyebrow at Cain and did a feigned an expression of surprise. "No, forgive my grammatical error. You want our blood in a silver _chalice_? Brave this, then."_

_There was a pounding sound, as though many people were rushing up the stairs in the headquarters, pounding their feet down on the stairs mercilessly as they went up. Within moments, an army of Auto-Dolls burst through the door, ripping apart the doorframe as they did so. Seeing the Auto-Dolls, Cain burst out laughing. Kaspar and Susan both stepped closer to Melchior, as though they were backing him up. _

_As Cain lifted his hand, a powerful invisible force launched itself towards the Auto-Dolls, and in a split second, they burst into tiny mechanical fragments. Cain tossed his hair away from his face and smiled devilishly at Melchior._

"_Why, Pygmalion, it seems that your creations have disappeared with a single effort from me," he taunted Melchior. "I've already destroyed a Killing Doll recently," said Cain, remembering the stoic-faced machine from the church in Londinium. "And a Crusnik, on top of that," added Cain, liking the varied reactions of the three people before him. "What makes you think an army of these Auto-Dolls would be any different? I may be injured, but my powers aren't in the least affected." Cain then looked to Susan and Kaspar, his malice echoed in his smile. "And the both of you will pay for siding with Pygmalion." _

_Cain glanced briefly at Melchior, before calling upon his nanomachines to activate, not reverting to his full Crusnik form as he was injured, but enough to materialise the black lance in his grasp. Cain then aimed it at the last three remaining members of the Rosen Kreuz Orden, excluding him, looking at each of the three of them in the eye, smiling as he did so._

"_I do apologise, my dear friends, but you know I don't give second chances."_

_As soon as Cain had sent out a bolt of destructive red energy to pierce through each of their hearts, blood spurted out in all directions, painting the room in a slimy coat of bright red liquid. Cain did not kill them fully when he withdrew his lance, but he drew their blood into his body, liking it when the three of his victims screamed as their blood came out from the tiny pores in their skin, flowing into Cain's body. _

_Cain bared his sharp teeth in a smile, loving the pleasurable sensation that weaved itself through the nerves in his body, and basking in the comforting feel of the injured parts of his body regenerating themselves. Suddenly, Cain stopped drawing in their blood, a strange expression forming on his face. The three victims collapsed on the floor in a heap, exhausted by the excruciating pain that consumed them. _

_They were so tired that none of them had noticed Cain slipping up slowly behind them, and before they knew it, his teeth dug deep into Melchior's neck first, sucking in the blood left in the Methuselah's body, before turning to Kaspar and Susan to satiate his unbidden but consuming need to suck the blood of a Methuselah directly from the body, the same way Methuselahs fed on their Terran victims. _

_After Susan had dropped from his arms, a limp doll that Cain could easily lift up with his fingers as she was drained of blood, he licked his lips in satisfaction. Looking at the three dead bodies by his feet with their heads nearly severed off their necks from his reckless feeding, he shook his head dismally._

"_I'm so sorry, but the first way I used was simply too slow."_

Cain licked his lips once more, reminiscing the subtle taste of her blood in his mouth. Once a month, an elixir of intoxicating sweetness would flood through his mouth, and pour over his organs, promoting energy to the nanomachines to carry out regeneration of his body. Cain admired his newly healed body, without any of his arms or legs slipping off as he walked.

Once, back in the Orden, even his head had fallen off during one of their dinners together held after a meeting. Cain laughed silently, remembering how Kaspar's face had turned green, Helga politely excusing herself to go to the powder room, and Dietrich's refusal to touch a single morsel of food after that particular incident, despite Isaak rebuking his actions.

Now, no such thing would happen anymore, not with Isaak's notes that Cain had taken from his desk back at the Orden. On the notes were written the most precious bits of information regarding Cain's regeneration. Fortunately for Cain, his propinquity with Isaak had been fruitful, for his mind processed the instructions very precisely and clearly.

Cain had taken many weeks to fix his body which frequently fell apart, and had gained success. To enable his efforts to last through the winds of time, Cain had fed on the blood of Methuselah. Each time he fed, he felt stronger. During the second time of his feeding, Cain had felt more rejuvenated than he had ever been. Nevertheless, the hunger never faded away from his body, and he felt himself wanting more and more. Giving in to the sinful pleasures, Cain had continued to feed without shame.

The contented blond then surveyed his surroundings, invisibly stalking the activities of the villagers in the night. Sure enough, during the night, every spoken syllable seemed to be conveyed in a breath of hushes and whispers. And there were the occasional muffled giggles and gasps from time to time.

Cain let the faintest of smirks settle itself upon his lips, as memories of him and Abel lying entangled in each others limbs amidst the white sheets drifted across his thoughts. Cain wanted those visions realised as soon as possible, but his wishes seemed to go unheard, as Abel's gaze seemed to contain more hatred than affection and longing each time they confronted each other.

Thinking of the impossible seemed to ignite his anger, and he found himself turning into a dark corridor and leaning against the flatness of the cold wall. His nails then drove themselves deep into the thickness of the wall, and he dragged them noisily as he carved waves of rage into the hard rock.

Cain smelt his own blood in the air, but he did not mind. It was not as though any Methuselah could pick up the scent of a Crusnik's blood from a radius of a hundred metres. And the villagers of Aswan were by no means observant, for Cain had been watching them intently, and laughed at the way they dismissed most things as trivial matters.

Cain remembered as he had flown all the way from Berlin to Egypt once more, delighting in the impossibly perfect structure of the pyramids, and the fine, powdery sand. He wished not to stay in a place too close to Berlin for his liking, should the terrible massacre of the Orden be linked to him by others who were in close contact with Isaak or the other members.

Cain knew that no one would have suspected him to seek refuge within the Empire itself, for it was the last place for anyone to look. It was knowledge that Cain had gained while serving in the Navy. _The ultimate place for a hideout would be within the very clutches of the enemy itself_.

"Ahh," Cain breathed out softly, running his fingers through his golden strands. "Those good old days fade away like a washed out painting."

For a while, Cain had been pondering to return to Alexandria, as he preferred the silent, monumental solitude of the decaying, yet immortal ruins. Sometimes, the hustle and bustle of Aswan wore him out. However, it was in Aswan where Cain sated his gruesome appetite, and found his primary source of entertainment and amusement.

As Cain looked up at the sky, admiring the way the stars sparkled back at him, he wondered about Abel. Where was his beautiful silver-haired lover at the present time? Why had Abel not reached him yet?

Scrutinising the tiny city and scrunching his face in disgust at the olden architecture, Cain shook his head. Word certainly spread slowly in a small city, even if it concerned the loss of lives. He could only imagine the faces of the officials who were entrusted to rule Aswan when they were informed of three gruesome murders of young girls, and if they were observant of the clues Cain left behind, they would conclude that the same heinous murderer committed all the three killings.

Cain chuckled lowly. He had killed the Methuselahs the same way they normally killed Terrans, who became pitiful victims of their rampant vampire-like thirst. The Methuselahs all over the Empire would be more than terrified knowing that there was, _were,_ Cain corrected himself as he remembered Abel and Seth, beings who lived on the blood the vampires. Their ivory dollhouse would soon shatter, and they would be exposed to the same danger the Terrans had always felt.


	28. Chapter 28: Futari omoide aruki hitori

Disclaimer: **Trinity Blood and its characters do not belong to me. **

Author's Note: After a VERY IRRESPONSIBLY LONG TIME TAKEN TO COME UP WITH THIS UPDATE, hello!!:D

-murmurs in the background, and stones come hurling themselves at the author's face-

I know, I know!!! I'm so sorry, a thousand apologies! Really, how can anyone in SAM have a life? I've been suffering from all those endless assignments, tests and exams, GOD! Thank god it's halfway over… And yes, I'm really sorry for the delay, but don't worry, this story won't ever be on hiatus or left uncompleted. If not, you can kill me for that. Jhanna knows exactly where I live on the globe, so she'll give you a good clue to where my room is on Google maps, and yup, I'll receive the adequate punishment:(

Ookay, for this chapter, we're in Aswan (Egypt), people. Abel and Ion have become gracious acquaintances and Cain is lurking out there, rotting in his insane jealousy…

The song I chose would be Wishmaster, sung by Nightwish. Actually, I don't get this song, but it's haunting, and it suited the atmosphere, yupyup:)

//

_Distant sigh from a lonely heart  
"__I'll be with you soon, my Shalafi"  
Grey Havens my destiny_

-Wishmaster by Nightwish-

//

And the song of this chapter will be Omoide Aruki, sung by Psycho le Cemu.

* * *

**Silver and Blond**

**Chapter 28: Futari omoide aruki hitori oikakeru kedo  
**

_**(You and I walk with reminisces, I'm running after your memory)**_

_//_

_//_

Abel and Ion arrived at Aswan in the early morning. The citizens still had not risen from their sleep, though a few beggars were seen to be assembling themselves by the roadside, hoping upon the mercy of the ones who were able to save them from starvation.

Ion looked around the city, and found himself unconsciously frowning at Abel's back. The garnet-eyed Methuselah had not yet fully believed that Cain lurked within the very buildings of Aswan. The small city seemed so peaceful, the community living their lives in unspoilt bliss. Ion could not believe that there had been already two murders of young girls that happened in the city. The whole atmosphere seemed a little too relaxed, for some reason.

Abel and Ion had been in Luxor when they first heard of the incident. During their travels, many had glanced at the both of them, wondering why a young Methuselah aristocrat would choose to travel with a Catholic priest.

However, the people seemed to have been informed of the help given by the Vatican to ensure the Empress' safety. Their glares at Abel lessened after a few moments of conversation. Asking around did not bring as much help, as Ion would have expected.

If Ion had had his way, he would have chosen to journey to Turkey, Algeria, or even to Russia. But Abel had been affirmative that Cain was still in Egypt. When they had been in Alexandria, the both of them had scouted through the fallen buildings, searching the ruins. Ion tried his best to smell Cain out, and he did not quite succeed, for Crusniks appeared to leave no scent behind, though Ion could identify a Crusnik from a crowd of Methuselahs or Terrans if only he was close enough to smell the Crusnik out.

While searching, Abel apparently had discovered a white feather, and a piece of torn white material, violently ripped out by a person's hand. A large circle of dried blood had been seen on the floor, and as the strange odour drifted up to Ion's nose, it truly smelt of a Crusnik. Only then had Abel explained that the nanomachines within their bodies emitted the strange odour. Their findings had proved that Cain had been in Alexandria. But Ion was unsure whether or not Cain remained in Egypt.

"He cannot travel so far, Ion-sama. He is badly wounded," Abel had said to Ion, while the latter mouthed silently behind Abel, _so you think_.

They had been browsing the marketplace of Luxor, seemingly searching for a few household items, but in reality, their sharp hearing picked up the bits and pieces of gossip the people threw about in their morning conversations.

"But he's like you," Ion said incredulously. "You can do _anything_, Nightroad-sama, even if you're wounded," Ion pressed.

For some reason, being in Luxor made him restless, as they brought back memories of Radu and him wandering through the city, enjoying the time they spent together as foster brothers. After Radu's death, Luxor had been passed over to another noble to govern. Ion felt the fleeting pain of memory each time his eyes passed over a familiar spot.

"Even then, a serious loss of blood can do much damage to us," Abel explained slowly, his voice deep and convincing.

Ion could not help noticing how much Abel had changed after his revival. His playful manner that he had displayed during the times when he and Esther had been assigned to carry out their duties in the Empire had disappeared into thin air. Not a single trace of it was left.

Making Abel smile was equally as tough as making a large bolder move. It was trying, and the efforts were often fruitless. Ion found himself wanting the company of a person who could make Abel happy, or for a dangerous situation to grab hold of his diminishing attention and to erase the unpleasant thoughts from his mind.

Abel suddenly touched Ion's shoulder, and when the latter looked at him, his blue eyes seemed to be fixed on two women who were a few feet in front of them, their hands punctuating gestures as fast as their mouths moved as they spoke. Ion's sharp hearing caught a drift of the sentence the elder of the two ladies was saying.

"…daughter was killed in cold blood. The poor girl had been sleeping, and you could imagine the expression on my sister's face when she saw that the only girl in the family had been killed so brutally," the elder lady said most vividly, her face full of grief. The younger one touched her arm softly, as if to comfort her friend.

"I'm so sorry, Neya. But killed like a Terran, you say?" inquired the younger lady. The elder's eyes widened with fright.

"Oh yes, her throat was slashed open, and her body was completely devoid of blood." Ion watched as Abel's face paled with each word they both heard. Before Abel could even frown, thinking of the location of the murder, the elder woman was speaking once more.

"I must hurry over to Aswan, and to think that nothing has been done even after my niece is the second victim-"

"The _second_ victim? You mean there was a first?" exclaimed the younger lady incredulously. By that time, Abel and Ion had had enough. They had quickly weaved their way through the crowd, desperate to reach Aswan in time.

Now, back in Aswan, Ion and Abel had been touring the city, searching for clues. Some of the residents had already awakened, and were now going about on their daily chores. Abel had approached a beggar and given him a coin, in exchange for the information regarding the murders of two girls. Ion listened half heartedly, but when the beggar suddenly mentioned that the two girls had red hair, Ion turned sharply towards the beggar. Abel, on the other hand, had gone as white as a sheet.

"Red hair?" Abel echoed slowly. The beggar nodded as quickly as he could.

"Aye, sir. Both of them had red hair, pretty girls at that. Strange enough, they had no blood left in their body anymore when they were discovered. The parents, of course, being parents, couldn't sleep for days. They've gotten pretty close by now," said the beggar, lifting his hand a little to point out two women to Abel and Ion.

The mothers of the two girls had the same sick sorrow written on their faces, and the same look that a person wore when they had recently witnessed a terrible horror or calamity. Abel felt his heart go out to them, even if he had no idea whom they were. Abel was about to turn to the beggar to ask more questions when a scream suddenly pierced the air.

Ion, Abel and the beggar turned their heads sharply to look at the bedraggled woman who ran through the streets, her eyes streaming with tears, her expression horrified. She ran past everyone on the street, not caring if she knocked him or her aside.

"My daughter! Sala has been murdered by the Hell's Angel!" she cried out. Abel looked at the beggar questioningly. The beggar then leaned forward to whisper into Abel's ear.

"The murderer of those two girls. We call him that here because every time, he leaves behind a white feather beside the body of the girl he's murdered," said the beggar. Just as Abel was about to pull away, the beggar held him firm by his coat. "My good sir, forgive me, but I do hope that those high-and-mighty people from the Central Government have sent you here to remedy this situation.

"It's been three months now, and three young girls have already been murdered. No word has arrived from Byzantium, but I sure hope they've sent you and your young friend there," spoke the old man, nudging his head in Ion's direction. The Methuselah stared at him fiercely, angry that he could treat Abel in such fashion.

However, Abel looked straight into the beggar's eyes and announced his affirmative. "I am here to stop the murderer," he said truthfully. In his eyes, he could only imagine the insane smile on Cain's face, and the blood trailing down from his open mouth, staining the whiteness of his spacesuit. The beggar looked pleased.

"Don't you know that beggars are the ones who know almost everything what happens in a place? I tell you what; I knew Sala and her mother, that poor lady who ran down the street just now, very well. They were decent people. And I knew those two dead girls as well. And I tell you they bear a certain resemblance.

"Of course, their faces aren't the same, no sir, but they've got the same features, you know. Taka and Ippa had brown eyes and red hair, so did Sala. I'm sure of this, sir. I've watched them for a long time, since that's the only thing I can do. I'm guessing that the idiot who's playing around has this pattern, sir.

"I don't know why he does it to these redheads with brown eyes, but when I tell it to those fools who're supposedly _protecting_ our city, they chased me out of the office, said I was a mad old man who didn't know what came out of his mouth. I hope you'll prove to them their obvious idiocy."

The beggar finally let go of Abel, who could not even form words to speak. Ion took charge, though when the beggar saw him, he cackled throatily. "So, sonny, listen to your elders next time, will you?" he laughed at Ion. Before Ion could even react, Abel had pulled him away to avoid a commotion.

Ion was still fuming, though when he saw how pale Abel's face was, he kept his grumbles to himself and focused on the information the beggar had informed them. Abel dragged the both of them to a secluded corner as the sun started to rise and the marketplace became even more crowded. People's voices were raised, the main topic regarding Sala's death the night before.

"Red hair and brown eyes?" Ion asked Abel. "Could it be that he's trying to murder people like Esther?" Ion thought of her vibrant red hair, but frowned when he remembered the deep blue of her eyes. Abel had shaken his head at Ion's question.

"No, not Esther," he told Ion. When the latter raised an eyebrow at him, Abel added very solemnly, "_Lilith_." Ion looked even more flabbergasted than before. He had stopped in his movements, but quickly recovered and stepped closer to Abel.

"Who is she?" he demanded, but not rudely. The priest seemed to be lost in his thoughts, the sky blue of his eyes turning a slight grey as they clouded over. Abel could visibly remember the soft brown eyes of Lilith, big and understanding, and he remembered the deep red of her long, flowing hair. Then, he thought of Cain and his unleashed insanity.

Was this the trail Cain referred to; bodies of young girls with red hair and brown eyes? Abel felt his heart crack at the cruelty of fate placed upon those three girls, for they were killed because of what they were, and what they could not help being. Abel's anger at Cain resurfaced. However, he kept his emotions in check, and found that the Methuselah's eyes were still on him, awaiting an explanation.

"_Was._" Abel corrected Ion in a soft voice. "The woman I loved most in this world. So did Cain," Abel finally said, deciding to tell the truth. "He killed her."

A long, uncomfortable silence passed between him and Ion, where Abel looked down and Ion's eyes widened with realisation. But then, confusion welled up in Ion just as an idea floated into Abel's mind. Ion moved faster, and spoke sooner before Abel could do so.

"Nightroad-sama, how cou" Ion began, but Abel cut him off as politely as he could.

"Ion-sama, do forgive me, but I need to speak to that beggar again. It's a matter of utmost urgency," Abel said quickly, and made his way to the crowd to the spot where the old man sat. Ion felt as though someone had just doused him with cold water for no reason. Realising that it would not bring a single good with each second he remained in the corner alone, Ion followed Abel's path, finding Abel talking to the beggar.

"Redheads with brown eyes? You're taking my words seriously, are you sir? That's all right I could point them out. Surprisingly enough, Aswan has many brown-eyed redheads, strange enough. Are you sure you don't want to see the blondes, sir? They're comely, and the killer might-" paused the beggar in his flow of words, seeing that Abel had shaken his head so fiercely, and Ion looked at the old man meaningfully.

"Sorry, sir. Oh, you've come just at the right time, you see that pretty girl at the store on the left corner?" asked the beggar, pointing to a tall girl wearing a red dress, picking at bracelets. Abel assessed her. True enough, she had brown eyes and red hair, but she did not resemble Lilith. He shook his head at the beggar who browsed the crowd once more.

He touched Abel's shoulder gently, and Abel fixed his gaze upon another petite girl with red ringlets for her hair and whose warm brown eyes sparkled with childish innocence. Abel shook his head once more, and Ion could not help repressing a sigh. He had no idea who Lilith was, or why Abel was so vividly troubled when he reacted to the beggar's words. The beggar hunted around once more about the crowd, absently muttering, "Where is she? She's normally out early, but perhaps today's a little different."

Ion's eyes rested on the second girl, and unconsciously smiled back when she gave him a sweet smile. She was very pretty, he had to admit, but somehow, Esther's face floated into his mind, and he found himself averting his eyes away from the red haired girl. Ion felt Abel's hand on his shoulder, and he saw that Abel was looking at a person in the crowd.

When Ion looked to where Abel's eyes were centred, a young woman with red hair came into view. She was not pretty, but beautiful, with her free red hair rippling down her back, her eyes deep brown and watchful. The way she moved was graceful, accentuating her slender form. Seeing the way Abel's eyes had not wavered from the third girl, who had just touched womanhood, the beggar began to talk.

"Ah yes, that's Kalmia. Extremely stunning, isn't she? Just turned three hundred, by the way. Not a single man in this city can resist looking at her. And I take it that you're captivated, sir." Abel finally tore his eyes from Kalmia, and stared into the beggar's eyes.

"You're not an ordinary beggar. You know too much," said Abel, dropping three coins into the begging bowl, as the beggar's eyes glittered at the sight of money. Then, the wrinkled old man gave a throaty laugh.

"Well, if you must now, I've been around for quite some time. I was one of those who used to live in Alexandria during its prime. Now, things have changed a lot, I see. I'm too tired to make an honest living, so I choose to watch over this city and its peaceful people. You know, sir, you're not an ordinary priest from the Vatican either. You're different, somehow." The beggar looked at Abel up and down, and turned his eyes to Ion. The Methuselah found the beggar smiling at him.

"I've got someplace else to be right now. If you'll excuse me, good sir, I'll be on my way." Ion received the knowing stare of the beggar, who muttered lowly under his breath, "_Your Lordship_," before rushing away at a breathtaking speed. Abel raised his eyebrows, wondering how the doddering old man could move at such a speed and knew Ion's true identity. He must have been very old, concluded Abel.

Abel slowly stood up and browsed the bustling marketplace. It was now noisy with people's voices demanding bargains, social talks, and the merry voices of children. Ion had even taken some time to look longingly to one of the food stalls. Feeling guilty, Abel was about to suggest a visit when his eyes came into contact with the same sky blue shade of one of the many people in the crowd.

_Cain_, his mind whispered, but when he retraced the same place he had seen the eyes identical to his, no one stood in that place anymore. Ion had rushed to Abel's side, his senses alert.

"Nightroad-sama, he was here, I smelled him out," said Ion in a low voice. Abel nodded slowly.

"He saw me, Ion-sama. He knows we are here, and he will strike soon."

The both of them stood amongst the crowd of the marketplace, staring at the empty spot that Cain had occupied recently. The crowd suddenly seemed to thin down, and Abel saw that all of them were heading the same way. Gripping Ion's arm lightly, Abel followed their movements.

A crowd seemed to have gathered around a young woman who spoke in urgent tones. She seemed to be talking about a grave matter, judging by the seriousness written on her face. Abel politely made his way to the front and gave a respectful bow to the maid before listening to her.

"I saw the Hell's Angel. He was running away from the House of Riet when we came across each other in the street," said she. The woman seemed to have noticed Abel, and looked at his eyes for one moment, frowning as she did so, before focusing them on the crowd once more.

"He wore this white suit, stainless, save for a few red patterns on them. I could not see his face, for it was covered by a black cape." Hearing this piece of information, the crowd gave uproar, and one man loudly demanded a search for the man who wore such clothing. The woman said nothing more, and the crowd slowly began to disperse. As Abel was about to turn to leave, he heard her whisper very faintly, "Wait."

As soon as they both were the only ones standing in the clearing, save for Ion a few feet away, the woman came very close to Abel, staring sceptically at Ion.

"He's a friend," Abel excused him, and the young woman seemed reassured. She took a breath before speaking.

"Are you here to help us?" she asked him hopefully. He gave her a small smile, and nodded.

"I've never seen you or your friend there before," she glanced at Ion briefly. "But I don't care who the government back in Byzantium sends, as long as we can sleep peacefully at night. I was walking down the street last night because my mistress sent me on a random errand that was to fetch her shawl that she had left behind in one of the shops she visited.

"I had already fetched the shawl, and I used a shortcut through an alley to reach to my mistress' house quickly, as I'm not too fond of walking at night alone. I saw this blur streak of white coming towards me, and I remained rooted to the spot, not knowing what to do. For some reason when he saw me, he slowed down as though to look at me. I only saw his eyes, but I could not see the rest of his face. It was covered."

"Can you tell me what colour his eyes were?" Abel asked, despite knowing the answer. He only sought her confession, which would ultimately confirm his suspicion. Ion had stood by his side, and listened to what the maid had said. The maid locked gazes with Abel quickly, and then looked wildly around the three of them, as though fearing that people could hear what she was about to say. She leaned very closely to Abel, their faces nearly touching.

"His eyes were exactly like _yours_," she whispered. She then pulled away and waved her arms at him. "No disrespect intended, sir, I know you're not the one, but I don't know how it is, his eyes cross between silver and a bright blue like the sky, and I'm certain they resemble yours closely. But you're good a person, sir, I know it instinctively," said she, and she touched the place above her heart briefly. "Please deliver us from this evil, sir. I don't know who else will."

With that, the maid scampered off, leaving Ion and Abel standing very still after her departure. Ion was the first one to recover, and he stepped close to Abel, his eyes demanding answers. Abel only took in a deep breath and looked up at the sky, his eyes very much the same shade that was painted above.

"Cain Knightlord is proven to be the murderer. He has watched us from the marketplace, and he will strike tonight."

* * *


	29. Chapter 29: Hajimete au Yokogao Ni

Disclaimer: **Trinity Blood and its characters do not belong to me. **

Author's Note: Ooowwwaaaa!! Why can't we have a year for a holiday?? College students should set up a society and start voicing out our complaints! Oops, back to the story… gomen gomen! Okay, so far, we're still in Egypt and Abel has just had a weird encounter with an equally weird beggar and he and Ion have turned into stalkers by stalking the most beautiful woman in Aswan…

I'm A.D.D.I.C.T.E.D. to within temptation. God knows why…

/

_What have you done now?_

_Why, why does fate make us suffer?_

_There's a curse between us, between me and you._

-What Have You Done by Within Temptation-

/

Ahh, what to say, but that Yuki Kajiura is one of the best composers I've ever acclaimed, and thank god that she composed the song Anna ni Issho Datta no ni from the anime of Gundam Seed which I'm crazy about…

* * *

**Silver and Blond**

**Chapter 29: Hajimete au Yokogao ni  
**

_**(In a glimpse of your new face)**_

_**/**_

_**/**_

Ion blew his bangs out of his eyes. He looked to Abel, whose face remained eerily calm, yet there was a fierceness that shone in his blue eyes. Ion felt caught between helping Abel and wanting to free himself of the strings that had been bound around his body. He knew not what was happening, but each time he looked to Abel for an explanation, the expression that the latter bore on his face prevented Ion from doing so.

It was as though the priest knew that a thousand and one questions were lurking behind the garnet eyes of the Methuselah. It took almost all of Ion's will to prevent himself from shooting questions at Abel. The only steadfast facts that Ion knew were that Cain Knightlord was somehow one of the primary strengths of the Orden who had done something extremely terrible to work Abel into such a state.

Ion had thought that joining Abel would mean the ultimate destruction of the Orden. Yet, Abel had not rushed to the Orden's headquarters in Berlin, but instead remained in Egypt for the past seven months, claiming that Cain was still in the country. Although Ion was pleased at being able to check on the progress of his people in Memphis, he was also clearly unsatisfied at the lack of excitement which he had thought essential in an adventure with a Vatican knight.

Realising where his thoughts had run to, Ion looked guiltily at Abel, whose eyes remained fixed on the residence of Tiye, the home to the young lady Kalmia. Ion found his own eyes straying to the darkened house, the faintest of doubts rising into his mind, before he shamefully quelled them. Ion had to admit, his journey together with Abel which span nearly a year in length had taught him more than he could ever imagine.

Abel had been a gentle mentor, and had encouraged Ion to discover his special Methuselah powers. Ion had denied it at first; saying that his only prowess was in duel, but Abel then said that Ion's dagger was his gift. The young Methuselah had looked at the weapon sceptically, wondering if it was true what Abel had said. Ion secretly wished for a long sword, like the Imperial Guards carried, but Abel had insisted that Ion master the dagger before progressing to a larger weapon.

Strange enough, though Abel had claimed to never wield a sword, he had been surprisingly adept at giving Ion advice to better his swordsmanship. Ion had taken heed, and found himself improving more than he had while serving as the Empress' Swords Keeper. Nevertheless, though Abel had helped Ion in many ways, he had never revealed any incidences of his past to the Methuselah.

Each time Ion asked questions concerning Cain, Abel seemed to have a pained look in his eyes, that of longing and sadness. Then, his face would become a steel mask that betrayed no emotions. Other than Cain being one of the best chess pieces of the Orden, Ion knew not of more than that.

Ion heard Abel suddenly gasp. His thoughts broke up into tiny fragments as though someone had slammed a heavy object to destroy them. His eyes flew to where Abel had been watching for the past few hours in the desolated house they positioned themselves in. As he watched from the tiny gaps between the blinds of the window as they spied on the Tiye residence, Ion saw a flash of white moving fast from the junction and floating over the gate of the mansion. The flash moved too fast for Ion to make out its true shape. When he reached for Abel's arm, he found nothing but air.

Realising that only a few seconds could make a difference between surviving and perishing, Ion ran at the highest speed he could. Abel had already gotten out of the house and now rushed at his supersonic speed towards the Tiye residence, with Ion following closely behind. His heart thundered in his chest as he hoped so hard for Kalmia to live, for the last thing Abel needed was the death of an innocent life weighing down his already heavy pile of sins.

The moment Abel burst into the house, he headed up the stairs, using his ability to fly. Before he did so, Abel reached out a hand to Ion and held the Methuselah by his shoulders as Abel took flight. Ion stared at Abel in amazement. Never before had he demonstrated that particular ability during their journeys, and it came as quite a shock to Ion. However, Ion had no time to think anymore as Abel burst open the door that led to a room.

Abel then saw Cain, his golden hair pooling over Kalmia's face, hiding it from view. Ion felt a shudder run through him as he heard the sickening sound of Cain slurping blood from the young woman in shameless haste. Blood ran in narrow streams down her neck and staining the pale white of her sleeping garment.

Kalmia herself appeared to be struggling, her arms trying her best to pry Cain off, her legs kicking pitifully at the floor as though to release herself. Cain had used his inhuman strength to pin her down and prevent any of her movements from stopping his terrible doing. Abel then drew himself up to his full height.

"Leave her alone, Cain."

At the sound of Abel's voice, Cain dropped Kalmia's body to the floor with a thud as though it had been a heavy package in his arms. He turned to Abel and smiled, his sharp teeth stained with blood, and his mouth and chin were red with the crimson hue. Ion was so surprised to see that besides their hair colour, Abel and Cain shared almost all the other facial features. Even their bodies were similar, tall and slender with a graceful way of walking.

The wheels in Ion's mind started turning. Why in the world did Abel Nightroad, a Vatican priest, resemble one of the most dangerous members in the Orden? Coming to think of think of it, mused Ion, even their surnames were almost identical. Ion looked at the silver-haired man he _thought _he knew but when he looked back carefully; he did not know a definite thing about Abel.

Abel possessed the mysterious skill of swordsmanship, excelled in Lost Technology, and was a Crusnik. Once again, Ion found another question in his mind. What _was _a Crusnik? Ion felt stupid, for it had never occurred to him to ask Abel a few questions during their journey. Ion had always been too focused on the quest until he did not even wonder about his own mysterious partner.

Meanwhile, Cain had licked his lips deliciously, his tongue darting out as though to taunt Abel. His smile widened as his eyes roamed over Abel's features, but suddenly frowned.

"I know it's been a rather long time since we've met, Abel, but why have you tied your hair and put on those glasses again?" asked Cain distastefully. As he looked at the man before him, his expression became even more twisted. "And those robes, that colour- oh dear, where has your beautiful spacesuit gone? I prefer _that_ a million times to this," Cain's eyes flickered with distaste to Abel's modest black priest robes. Abel had tried his best not to pay attention to Cain's taunts and eyed the young Kalmia from the corner of his eye.

She had tried her best to crawl across the floor to Abel, one hand dragging her body, another clutching at the deep gash in her throat. Her blood left a trail behind. Cain's eyes watched Abel's carefully, and seeing Kalmia struggling to get away, he lifted her easily with one hand and flung her across the room, narrowly missing Ion. "There, you can have the girl if you want," he offered lazily.

"Ion!" called Abel, his eyes fixed on Cain's. "Take the lady Kalmia and the rest of her family members away from here," Abel commanded in his deep voice. Cain sniggered at this.

"Still so self-sacrificing, aren't you, Abel? Has it never come across your mind to take a snack once in a while?" By the time Cain had finished posing his question; Ion had zoomed back into the room, his pale golden hair swaying in the rush of wind from his moving so fast. Cain gave a little laugh, seeing Ion.

"Why, you have a nice one right there, Abel. He's full of strong blood, I'm sure, and- oh dearest, I didn't know you had a taste for blondes and redheads." Cain laughed aloud at this, while Abel remained frozen in his cold anger.

"Why did you kill those girls?" Abel demanded harshly. "Is it because they remind you of _her_," Cain's eyes flashed dangerously at this. "Or is it because of your thirst for their blood?"

Cain flicked his bangs away and gave a hiss. "I killed two birds with one stone, if that's what you want to know. And might I remind you _whom_ it was who shot his bioelectric beam at my arm and wings? You're not as good as you think you are, Abel! I believe this whole priest charade you're keeping on is merely an illusion to hide the fact that a long time ago, you were once the pearl of the Contra Mundi, the most feared assassin on this pathetic planet! Once a killer, Abel, _always _a killer," snarled Cain at his silver-haired counterpart. "So drop this façade and join me instead!"

"And to have him stab you in the back when you're unaware? No, thank you."

Cain's eyes widened, and so did Abel's. Ion's heart gave a lurch in his chest, and his breathing was shallow. He knew that voice so well. It had been the same voice that had come out from Radu's mouth when Ion was about to killed. It was also the same voice that spoke using his foster brother's body when he had been locked up in the cell with Esther.

"My, my. Two Crusniks in a room, a rare sight indeed. But I believe this is the second time I've witnessed this," said Dietrich von Lohengrin, the Puppet Master, who emerged from one of the shadowy corners in the room. Cain had recovered from his shock and stared at Dietrich in irritation.

"Is it just me, or does everyone who's supposed to be dead coincidentally gets revived?" Cain asked in cynical tones. His attention flickered to Dietrich then back to Abel, who seemed to watch what was happening with keen interest.

As Dietrich slipped out of the shadows, Ion slowly moved into the darkness. His garnet eyes were fixed on the Terran who had robbed his foster brother from his own body and from Ion. He slowly drew out his dagger.

Meanwhile, Dietrich had walked until he stood right in the middle of Abel and Cain. Instead of the Nazi clothes that Dietrich used to wear, he was now clad in the style of clothing that the people of Aswan wore. Nevertheless, his dangerous expression was unchanged. He did not seem to limp from any injury, but Abel observantly noted that his steps were heavier than before.

Abel then eyed Dietrich warily, wondering what heavy object the Terran hid under his flowing robes. Cain and Dietrich seemed to have engaged each other in a glaring duel, but Dietrich tore his gaze away and instead looked at Abel, smiling.

"You have been revived, Abel-sama," remarked Dietrich, looking at Abel who stood with his professionally straight posture. Dietrich then bowed respectfully before Abel as Isaak had done a long time ago. "I am honoured to be in your presence. However," Dietrich paused as Cain fell into his line of vision. "You are filth to be here."

Cain was enraged. His eyes flashed a bright red before reverting to blue. "Where have you gotten that worthless impudent tongue from, Dietrich? Ripped it apart from one of your own puppets, I suppose?"

At hearing Cain's mocking tone, Dietrich's face twisted in a snarl. "You're no better than me, you betrayer! It's one thing to kill the mentor of you and me while sprouting lies in my face with your silver tongue, but what you did back in Berlin was unforgivable!"

Cain's laughter echoed through the empty rooms of the mansion. He placed his hand on his hip in a teasing gesture. "Am I hearing that from the little boy who killed his own family and villagers back in Germanicus?"

"At least I did that because they did bad things to me, they even tried to kill me! I had to kill them before my own life was at stake!" roared Dietrich. His eyes then narrowed as he pointed an accusing finger at Cain. "But _you_ did it because you had another agenda in mind all along, even before you joined the Orden! And the foolish Helga thought that Isaak was manipulating you, whereas the opposite was happening all along. When you were in the Orden, we protected each other."

"Oh, how touching," said Cain sarcastically. Abel then glared at him, and Cain shut his mouth despite his wish to stop the flow of words that came from Dietrich's mouth.

Dietrich then continued, but this time he shook with rage so much that Abel was almost sure could feel the vague vibration through the floor they stood on. "After you were injured by him," Dietrich gestured at Abel, who locked gazes with him for a moment. "You flew back to Berlin to our headquarters. The Neumann brothers and Susan thought that you would take Isaak's place and lead them. You could have just left them alone and searched for an unwanted Methuselah to drink his blood, but you didn't do that. You killed your own members."

When Dietrich paused, Abel had gone very pale and looked at Cain. Even Ion, who stood in the shadows, now felt a sickening feeling rising to his mouth when he looked at the blond. Only Cain seemed unfazed by Dietrich's words, but he did not say anything.

"I had to implant machines into my body to keep on living," Dietrich continued. "It was as Isaak warned me of, I felt the most excruciating pain I'd ever felt in my life."

"You never did feel pain anyway," muttered Cain inaudibly. Abel then glared once more at his counterpart, reprimanding him for his facetious manner. Cain brushed it off carelessly, but remained silent for Dietrich's continuation.

Dietrich breathed in slowly. "You can imagine the shock and horror I encountered when I came back to Berlin. Kaspar, Melchior and Susan. All of them butchered like animals. The desks were thrown aside, screens were smashed, drawers ripped open. Papers flew all over the place, and your feathers were found at every corner.

"Immediately, I knew what you had done. You had taken all of Isaak's notes that touched on your body's regeneration process, and left the headquarters, wrecked with bloodless corpses strewn all over the floor. It was as though you wanted to prove to me the greatness you wield as a Crusnik.

"And so I followed you here, watching every night as you slashed the throats of those girls, delighting in the sweetness of their blood. Your regeneration process only required at most the blood from two Methuselahs, but how many have you killed so far? How many undiscovered bodies have you left on your trail?"

After all that Dietrich had spoken, Cain's expression barely wavered and remained a dull monotone. Cain merely shrugged his fine shoulders and tossed his golden head. "I never knew you could be so poetic, Dietrich."

The last statement that came from Cain's mouth was all it needed for Dietrich's anger to overflow, and within seconds, an army of cloaked figures with gas masks trod into the room. Ion gasped, remembering the creatures he had seen in his grandmother's mansion. They had been ruthless killers, with no mercy running through their veins. And in that small room, so many of them had flooded the room that Ion had to silently avoid their ruthless steps while remaining invisible. Cain and Abel both activated their nanomachines, while Dietrich looked on in glee.

"My Auto-Jägers shall exact revenge on the death of those in the Orden. And I shall be known as the Terran who exterminated the race of the Crusnik from the face of Earth."

Cain had turned to face the ambitious Dietrich a second after the latter had finished speaking. He smiled at Dietrich and bared his fangs. "When the sky falls, Marionettenspieler."

It took not more than a second for Abel and Cain to destroy the killing machines in their Crusnik form. Abel had waved his scythe and knocked down the Auto-Jägers as though he was merely knocking down air. At the same time, Cain fired his lance only once and almost all the machines had been destroyed, together with Abel's combined efforts.

The room was now a mess of puddles of blood, heaps of dismembered limbs and gas masks with red goggles staring eerily into space. No one seemed to have noticed that somewhere in one of the dark corners of the room, Ion Fortuna had been watching. He knew better than to be a liability when Abel was engaged in combat. The Methuselah had been torn between revealing and concealing his presence from Dietrich.

When the Auto-Jägers had come too close to his hiding place, he had slashed them apart silently with his dagger, but what shook Ion to the bone was the true form of both Crusniks. He had always wondered about the hidden things the gentle, silver-haired priest had been keeping from him all along. Ion had been impatient, though after being treated more than courteously by Abel, he held his tongue throughout their journey, dismissing it as something trivial and insignificant. But the true significance of the evolutionary being called 'Crusnik' had hit him in the face hard.

Their powers surpassed all Methuselah, but surprisingly enough, Dietrich had put up quite a fair bit for a Terran, realised Ion. Dietrich stood facing Cain and Abel, though Ion only saw his back. The Methuselah eyed the evilly beautiful Terran with flaming hate. Memories of Radu and Sulëyman came into his mind, the traitorous scheme, and how the Empress had almost been assassinated, if she had not been quick of wit.

Ion held his dagger firmly in his grasp, and waited till Dietrich's stance was relaxed. At the split second of his opportunity, Ion would target the sharpest point of his dagger for Dietrich's throat. However, the room was then flooded with even more Auto-Jägers, and Ion was forced to remain hidden and kill the merciless beings with equal bloodthirsty precision. Abel and Cain now seemed too preoccupied with the destruction of the killing machines, but each time a dozen was destroyed, a dozen more took their place. Dietrich observed the commotion with endless calm.

"These machines are like ants. You may kill them with only a little effort, but once they multiply endlessly and get out of hand, things _could _turn ugly." Looking at Cain's normally amused expression disappearing with each herd of Auto-Jägers that stormed into the room Dietrich smirked and added "Looks like you're in that type of situation."

Abel's patience was wearing thin when Dietrich's words came into his ear. He roared and let out numerous pulses of strong bioelectricity from his wings and body that burned the Auto-Jägers standing in and outside the room into ashes. "Enough of this!" he cried out. For a while, no machines substituted the machines that were destroyed by Abel. Even Dietrich spared a split second to look at him for a moment.

"I'm sorry, Abel-sama," said the young man, an expression of sorrow flashing in his eyes for a moment. "But Heaven will not open Their gates to a person who's done too much evil like me. I can't turn back now." Following his words, even more Auto-Jägers than the previous ones that had stood in the room, appeared out of thin air.

Abel looked at Dietrich pleadingly for a moment, but when Dietrich's soft brown eyes turned back into their impenetrable steel, Abel fixed his attention once more on the rising number of machines. Abel suddenly remembered Ion. Where had the young Methuselah gone?

Abel felt a rising panic within him, but it did not go unnoticed. Cain saw the change in Abel's expression, and the way Abel looked around discreetly. But Cain could not watch for long, because Auto-Jägers kept coming in. Cain felt hot and bothered by the shortness of fresh air in the room, and fired a red beam from his lance towards Dietrich. The Puppet Master only smiled and caught the beam in his puppet strings, preventing it from reaching his body. He laughed at Cain.

"Thought your Crusnik powers were so great, didn't you? Well take this for a change; I've bettered myself with all that the Panzer Magier has taught me as his protégé."

Cain only regarded this with a smile that reflected Dietrich's. "If you didn't learn anything from Isaak, I'd never want to take an idiotic protégé like you under my wing."

Abel listened to the bickering between Cain and Dietrih, both at each others throats, while he was thinking about Ion and fending off the Auto-Jägers from coming too close to him. Since Cain stood right beside him, Cain too benefited from Abel's defensive movements. He knew that Cain was trying to distract Dietrich, hoping for Abel to kill the Puppet Master. But Abel could not do so, as the number of machines that streamed through the door never seemed to cease.

Abel had known it from the start that he and Cain had to unite their powers in order to defeat Dietrich. As much as Abel detested it, he forced himself grudgingly to aid Cain, although he felt that he could not bear to wait to confront Cain.

"You'll not make it out alive, none of us will!" Dietrich cried out above the crackling sound of bioelectricity and Cain's voice raised in indignation. "I will kill you Crusniks, I've had it with those pathetic blood-sucking 'new humans', as those bloody monstrous _vampires_ call themselves. The death of you two would be an indefinitely good riddance of this world from the evolutionary extraterritorial beings showing up."

At hearing the insulting word, Ion had dashed forward to Dietrich, his dagger raised high above him, ready to strike. Ion leaped through the air at such a fast speed that even Dietrich was in a shock for a second. That second was all Ion needed to slice his dagger clean through the Marionettenspieler's neck, the ultimate killing strike.

Dietrich's eyes widened, first from the shock, then at recognition as he gazed upon Ion's face. The move Ion made was so fast and sudden that even Dietrich could smile at the three of them before Death froze his movements. Blood flowed out from the gaps between his teeth and stained his mouth red, just as Ion's dagger was bloodied. He spat out words between the gulps of blood rising to his throat.

"See you in hell, brothers."

As Dietrich's finger moved towards the area above his heart, it was all Abel needed to explain the mysterious weight that was carried in Dietrich's body. That had been Dietrich's ultimate goal, to destroy Cain, but at the same time, a new goal had presented itself, to annihilate the few Crusniks that walked the face of Earth. When Dietrich's finger was a millimetre away from his clothes, Abel had flown over to the young Methuselah who stood rooted to the ground, his face portraying a clear expression of shock, his fingers curled tightly around the dagger soaked in blood.

"Ion!"

At hearing Abel's cry, Ion was suddenly met with the large force that came from Abel's weight and from the high velocity he had used to rush to Ion. Just as Abel had dived to save Seth many centuries ago, he had dived to save Ion in the same way. The moment Abel had shielded Ion's small body completely with his own, Dietrich set off the powerful explosives attached to his body, and a mighty explosion that started from the core of the place where Dietrich's heart used to be, erupted in the room they stood in.

Abel could hear the crashing sound as the housing materials burst into tiny splinters and felt the spurting blood splash onto his cheek, from the pulverized body of Dietrich, now showering bits and pieces of flesh and bone over the almighty fire of the explosion. Then, Abel lost the control of his five senses.


	30. Chapter 30: Asu ga sora kara furu hane

Disclaimer: **Trinity Blood and its characters do not belong to me. **

Author's Note: Is five hours of sleep a day enough? Cuz that's what I do when I'm in college. Perhaps that explains my extreme sleepiness during weekends, yawwwwn! Where were we? Oh yeahh! The explosion!! Sorry for the cliffy, maties;p

I heard this song on the radio in my friend's car. For some reason, I liked it, and it's playing in my head:)

/

_Tell me why you're so hard to forget_

_Don't remind me, I'm not over it_

_Tell me why I can't seem to face the truth_

_I'm just a little too not over you, not over you._

-A Little Too Not Over You by David Archuleta-

/

I love the song Vestige, which is the title song for this chapter. It's sung by T.M. Revolution, and it's one of the most beautiful songs I've ever heard..

* * *

**Silver and Blond**

**Chapter 30: Asu ga sora kara furu hane no youna  
**

_**(Tomorrow falls from the sky like a feather)**_

Abel awoke among the rubble from the previous explosion. He did not open his eyes at first, but drew breath into his dry throat. At the entrance of the fine particulates of dust through his nostrils, Abel's body racked with laboured breaths in between fits of violent coughing. His hand went to his dry throat, seeking water to quench it, but he knew that the hope he harboured was in vain.

Abel tried moving his limbs at first, and felt an overwhelming gratitude when he found that he could move all his limbs perfectly, albeit the searing pain that went through his muscles. Besides the fatigue in his overstretched muscles, Abel felt no extreme pain that indicated a gaping hole in his body. However, he could feel the blood trickling down his face, and when his hand went up to his hairline a stinging pain surged through his head. When Abel tried to stand up, his right leg could only drag his left leg that refused to move. With each move that Abel took, the muscles in his left leg screamed with pain.

Abel then assessed himself. He was shocked to see himself clad in his spacesuit. When he looked at his arm, he saw a shred of black material hanging from it. Abel reached out carefully for the material, seeing its singed edges, eaten away by the flames with gaping holes in between. His Crusnik uniform however remained intact. There were no burnt edges, just a few bloodstains from the many cuts on his body.

A gust of wind came blowing at Abel, sending dust and smoke into his face, and he turned his body away from direct contact, coughing as he did so. His freed silver strands blew unkemptly about his face. Even his glasses were gone. Abel gave a little sigh, knowing very well what image would face him when he gazed in the mirror.

His eyes fell on the body of Ion, about three feet away from him. Abel took painful steps towards the young Methuselah, and turned his body over so that Ion's face was facing upwards. Abel felt a warm feeling rush through him when he saw that Ion did not suffer from severe injuries, save for a few scratches and burns here and there.

Abel brushed aside the lock that covered the right eye of the Methuselah. No harm was done to both his eyes. When Abel put a finger to the side of Ion's neck, his pulse ran faintly, but it was steady. Abel exhaled a breath of relief, knowing that an innocent life had not been lost during his journey. A thought then occurred to Abel, which stood him up instantly.

_Cain_.

Abel's mind went into a state of panic, and the pressing urge pushed his body to move and ignore the pain that seared from his injuries. Abel hobbled slowly in his steps, his eyes searching every little square area close to him, hoping to find a sign that would lead him to Cain. As Abel walked, his feet suddenly came into contact with something soft, yet hard.

Abel's heart lurched in his chest when he saw that he had kicked the severed head of the Marionettenspieler, Dietrich von Lohengrin. The Puppet Master's unseeing eyes stared at him, a trail of blood oozing from the corner of his open mouth, his face partially blackened from the raging flames. Abel stared at it for some time, praying silently for the young Terran's soul. Then, he turned away and continued to search for Cain. The sight of Dietrich's head seemed to have added to his panic, and he found himself calling for Cain.

"Cain!" Abel called out urgently. "Cain, where are you?"

Abel continued to walk, his bare feet occasionally stepping on a sharp object, but he ignored the pain and went on. Several times, he would feel warmth at his feet and see a puddle of blood his foot was soaked in. Abel kept on going, hoping with all his heart that Cain was still alive. Although Cain had committed more than one unforgivable sin, Abel thought silently, but he had always loved Cain, no matter what he encountered.

"_Cain!"_

Abel had shouted out, both with heart and soul, and kept his ears open for the sound of the slightest movement being made. No answer rang from his relentless calls. The pain in Abel's legs was now eating away at his strength, and Abel found himself getting colder and colder. His eyes now stung, whether it was from the tears or from the dust that entered his eyes, Abel could not tell.

"Answer me, Cain, _please_!" Abel pleaded to no avail.

He looked out at the wide spread of ashes, broken pieces of furniture, black and white feathers, and of course, the disturbingly large amount of blood splattered all over. Just as Abel was about to succumb to the cold claiming him, his eyes caught sight of something white and red peering from under a large piece of marble, perhaps a fragment of the house's foundation.

Abel felt his strength rush back into him once more as he made his way hastily to the spot he had sighted. True enough, Cain's hand peered from under the marble slab. Abel fit his arms around the slab, and with all the strength he could muster, Abel executed the exhausting task. The moment he had dropped the slab to the ground with his diminishing strength, he suddenly felt arms slip around his waist and warm lips were pressed to his own.

Abel's eyes widened as he caught sight of the intruder's face. Eyes that was just as blue as his stared at him, their satisfaction unmistakable. A warm liquid that tasted strangely sweet to Abel flooded over his tongue and attacked his defenceless body. When he was faintly aware of his thoughts slipping away, Abel jerked violently and tore himself away from Cain's arms.

As he wiped at the blood that flowed from his mouth, he heard Cain's laughter ringing in his ears. From the corner of his eye, Abel looked at Cain. The blond held himself at a stance meant to convince people that he was uninjured, but the bloodstains that were seen on his spacesuit proved a contradicting fact.

Abel was about to rush to Cain to check on his injuries when the sickening truth was dropped into his stomach. He backed away from Cain hastily. Abel's finger wavered as he pointed accusingly at the person that stood before him.

"You- you could have answered me just now! Why didn't you?" he demanded. "Why did you let me keep on calling out your name? I thought you had died, I was-" Abel quickly halted the flow of words just in time.

Cain raised an eyebrow when he saw Abel clapping a hand over his mouth.

"Yes?" Cain pressed. "You were saying, Abel?" The said person only shook his head in denial at Cain's question, not wishing to let out what he did not wish to. For some reason, Cain only widened his smile. "If only you heard your own voice just now, _'Cain!'_" Cain laughed out loud as he mimicked Abel, while the latter fumed in his stony silence. He only watched.

"Well, at least the explosion did do some good after all, besides sending Dietrich off to Hell, finishing off my work," Cain remarked, as his eyes roamed over Abel, taking in his streaming silver hair, the absence of the glasses, and the white and blue spacesuit that he wore. Abel balled his hand into fists.

"I'm not a murderer like you, going off and killing his own friends," Abel stated. Cain ceased his cheery façade and leaned dangerously close towards Abel.

"_Friends_? My dear, are you taking that idiot's words seriously?" Cain asked incredulously. "I finished up your work for you! Was not your goal to destroy the Orden? I've done it, you needn't soil those lovely hands of yours in blood anymore and brood," Cain announced, flipping aside his blond bangs and taking Abel's long fingers in his own.

Slowly, he licked the tips of Abel's fingers in an innocently seductive manner. The blood in Abel's body was almost reaching its boiling point. Wrenching his hand from Cain's vice-like grip, he could feel his nanomachines struggling to activate and strike the insolent person opposite him.

"You're _mad_!" Abel finally cried out. His words then came very fast, like a rushing river. "You just kill, not caring whom you kill. Why should I trust you when I know that you can kill me anytime just like the others? And you've already killed me once, why would you not do it for a second time? What happens when you lose your temper with me? You'll kill me, and revive me once more to force me to relive the same experience? And after that-"

Cain's hand paused in midair towards Abel's face, halted by Abel's hand. Cain's face was twisted with rage after feeling the sharpness from Abel's words impaling his soul. Abel's eye burned just as fiercely as the eyes that were staring at him. Cain had been so angry, his hand had moved automatically to strike Abel. Fortunately, Abel was aware, and his reflexes saved him in no time. When Cain's hand had not made contact, his snarl suddenly turned into a smile. He took his hand away from Abel's grasp.

"Provoking me, aren't you?" he questioned Abel. "Why are you so eager to fight? Is it because I've done so many bad things? I can't help it; it's not as if you could a long time ago." Bloody memories flitted into Abel's mind and he shook his head as though to clear them away. He felt his posture slowly weakening, but he did his best to hold firm under Cain's gaze.

"See, you're shaking on your feet," said Cain observantly, sending a smile to Abel. "Fine. If you want to battle so much, so we shall. But not today, my heart breaks to see you this way. You're practically making blood puddles all over the floor." At Cain's words, Abel stole a glance at his feet, and true enough, he was standing in a puddle of his blood. He had not known that he bled more than he expected.

Cain had changed his form and unfolded his long white wings. "Meet me here in five days, Abel. Since you were so _concerned_ about my condition just now," Cain's eyes then flickered to the body of the unconscious Ion, lying over a mess of broken wood pieces. "I'll spare your little blond friend." Cain winked at Abel before taking off and flew through the night sky.

Abel watched Cain flying, a beautiful being in the shape of a white angel. As the snow white feathers dotted with crimson from Cain's wings brushed his cheeks and brow, Abel felt a drop of tear roll down his face. Then, another feather brushed gently across his salty lips, leaving the barest of kisses behind. It was one thing to love passionately, but it was a completely different issue loving the same person you hated with a burning intensity.

Abel turned around slowly, the agonising pain back in his legs, except now it spread throughout his entire body. He took slow steps one by one towards Ion, who was still unconscious from the explosion. With all his might, Abel lifted Ion and slung one limp arm of the Methuselah around his shoulders while Abel's hand went around Ion's waist. Clutching onto the hand that fell limply onto his shoulder, Abel hefted Ion's heavy weight around his body and moved forwards sluggishly. Fortunately, the Methuselah was rather light, but Abel's strength was not enough to bring them to safety.

It was a miracle when he heard people's voices around him, who were the citizens of Aswan, rudely awakened from their slumber by the loud noise of the explosion. Abel had only made it three steps forward when he fell to the ground. A gentle but firm hand stopped him from meeting the ground, and when Abel looked upwards, his eyes starting to cloud over from the exhaustion consuming at his soul, he saw a beautiful face with brown eyes and red hair.

"Help us," he whispered, before slipping into unconsciousness.

//scene shifts//

Abel awoke to the faint sound of a person humming in the background. He blinked his eyes open slowly, and was met with a distorted view of a mixture of psychedelic colours. He then blinked even harder, until he felt the stinging of tears in his eyes. When he saw blurred shapes in the background, he pushed his body up with his elbows, trying to sit upright. A gasp was heard, perhaps from the same person who was singing, thought he, for the singing had stopped. He felt a presence close to his side and gentle hands on his shoulder.

"You've not fully recovered; it's only been a day since you were found. You need more rest," a soft voice told him. As his vision cleared out bit by bit, he saw a face he knew so well. Abel sat up even more.

"Lilith?" his voice grated out, coarse and rough from his parched, dry throat. The person stood up once more, and he thought he could see her slim and tall silhouette. The anonymous lady with Lilith's voice then sat by his side once more, and he felt her fingers on his lips, opening his mouth, and the sweet, refreshing taste of cold water was felt all the way from his mouth to his oesophagus.

The water seemed to have cleared his vision, as the blurred shapes became objects, and the person who had carefully fed water to him now came into his full view. Taking in her rippling red hair, which shone crimson in the sunlight together with her soft brown eyes that earnestly gazed at him, Abel remembered her.

"Kalmia," he said softly. She tilted her head slightly and gave him a small smile. She seemed to be assessing his features, as though she could not recall whom he was. After a few moments, her mouth opened in realisation, and she quickly clapped a hand over it demurely.

"It's you," she said happily. "You're the man who came into my room to stop him from killing me," she posed her statement frankly, her carefree attitude not in the least affected by the terrible possibility that she might have died. Abel nodded gently at her while looking at her face. She did resemble Lilith very closely, but her eyes were a joyful brown. From afar however, Abel could have mistaken her from the back for the woman he had loved all the time. Kalmia's voice too, echoed Lilith's at certain tones.

Abel did not realise that while he looked at her, she was looking at him too. His absence of glasses and his free hair seemed to have altered his entire outlook. She brushed a hand over her red waves slowly.

"Did you change clothes?"

At Kalmia's inquiry, Abel just looked on in indecision. Pitying him, Kalmia carried on without pressing for his answer. "You look very different now," she mused, touching a silver lock on his shoulder. Abel was surprised at her boldness, and so was she. She dropped her hand quickly and bowed her head in apology. "I'm so sorry! I just don't know what came over me; it's just-" she looked at Abel's hair longingly once more. Abel laughed at her actions.

"It's all right, you can touch it if you want," he told her. Kalmia flashed Abel a bright smile before taking a silver lock and stroking it with her fingers in amazement. He gazed at her, liking the way her smile shone of childish innocence.

"I've never seen anyone with silver hair before," she said breathlessly. The same words, but voiced by a different person, floated into Abel's mind. He quickly dismissed it and chose to entertain Kalmia.

"My lady, I would-"

"Please, just Kalmia will do," she told him without looking up from the silver lock she was playing with. She then let it go and rested her eyes on his. "You've saved my life, and you and your partner both saved the lives of my family members. I cannot ask you for more," she said gravely. "I don't even know your name. At least grant me that single knowledge." She smiled at him.

Abel could not resist smiling back. "I am Abel Nightroad, a priest of the Vatican. My partner is-" Abel halted himself just in time, trying to think of a way to cover up Ion's identity. But when he looked at Kalmia, he saw the look of a trustworthy person in her eyes. Abel took a breath before continuing. "Ion Fortuna-"

"_The Count of Memphis?"_

Abel laid a finger to his lips to hush Kalmia, and she quickly shut her mouth, on her face written an apologetic expression. "I'm sorry, but is this a secret? You don't know how important it is when two Imperial Envoys are housed under the roof of Tiye-"

"I thought your house was destroyed," Abel pointed out, remembering the terrible blast of the destruction. Kalmia nodded at this. She waved a hand, indicating the entire building.

"This is my aunt's house. But back to what I was saying, why is the Count of Memphis here? Are you both sent by Her Majesty the Empress?" Kalmia asked. Somehow, Abel did not want to lie to her. He touched the fabric of her gown very gently.

"It is a long story I cannot relay to you fully. But know this; what the Count and I have been doing is privy to everyone else. Not even the officials in Byzantium can know about this. You must keep our existence, and our doings in Aswan a secret."

A silence passed between Abel and Kalmia. The latter had sat very still, the full meaning of Abel's words sinking into her. She now understood the seriousness in his gaze and voice. She had a feeling that the whole story was more complicated than she would ever guess.

"Just to inform you," she said casually to Abel. "The Count has still not awakened. He is being treated in the room just next to yours." Then, Kalmia bit on her lip, a thought coming across her mind. She spoke very softly, as though she wanted only the two of them to hear. "The man who wanted to kill me, is he dead?"

Abel stared straight into her eyes and shook his head. Kalmia flinched as though he had said something sinister. Just to reassure her, Abel took her hand and held it gently. "I promise nothing bad will happen to anyone."

* * *


	31. Chapter 31: Modorenai Kioku Meguru

Disclaimer: **Trinity Blood and its characters do not belong to me. **

Author's Note: Hontou ni sumimasen! Onegai, forgive me, pleeeeaaase forgive me! The third semester of college totally demanded my undivided attention, and the trials waltzed along, followed by the finals… FINALLY, I'm back to writing!!!!!!!YAYYYYYYYYYYYYY:D In this chappie, Abel relays about his past, and it's gonna be a LOOOOOONG memory. Trust Abel to keep everything bottled up inside him:S

All my gracious thanks to **jhanna555, Stoic-Genius, 41, Pineapple, GoddesOfWrath**, and **PurpleEyed**! Your reviews keep me writing and I WILL end this story with a good finish!:)

/

_We're part of a story, part of a tale_

_Sometimes beautiful and sometimes insane_

_No one remembers how it began._

~Never-ending story by Within Temptation~

/

Ever watched the Japanese drama Maou? Listen to Truth, the opening song of the drama, sung by the group Arashi… In a word: beautiful.

* * *

**Silver and Blond**

**Chapter 31: Modorenai Kioku Meguru  
**

_**(Memories I can't return to drift around me)**_

**_/_**

**_/_**

Abel spent the next few days in the company of Kalmia. Each time he looked at her, he thought he saw Lilith behind the soft brown eyes and big smile. Kalmia was not like any girl he had ever known. She was bold and blunt, and refused to say no to any request people made of her. Abel also realised with a sigh that she could be very pushy. A clear example was when Abel had been adamant in staying by Ion's side, hoping for the Methuselah to awake, but Kalmia had shaken her head very firmly at him.

"It won't do any good just to stare at him," Kalmia tried convincing him, her hands on her hips. "He won't wake up. I told you, he's suffered severe injuries."

Abel gave a start at the end of her sentence. "Severe injuries?" he asked urgently. Kalmia gave a slow and meaningful nod. Her eyes strayed to the sleeping face of Ion, his forehead covered with a bandage, and a nasty scar lined his cheek. Abel felt his guilt tearing at his heart, wishing he had been stricter in forbidding Ion to accompany him. The Methuselah's casualties were the result of his folly.

"Don't put on that sorrowful face, you'll slow down his recovery!" Kalmia exclaimed when she saw the forlorn expression on Abel's face. "You need to come with me to the market today," she was saying, and grabbed hold of his arm firmly. Abel could have resisted, but he was in no mood to pick a fight with anyone, especially after a strenuous battle with Dietrich, and the last thing he wanted to do was to be the victim of Kalmia's sharp tongue.

"Why?" he found himself asking. "If Ion-sama wakes up-"

"Then he'll wake up," Kalmia cut him off curtly, her tone imperious. She dragged Abel mercilessly out of the room. "You're coming with me, Abel-san! You tell me that that insane person who tried to kill me is still alive out there, and you're being irresponsible. If he kills me, I'll make sure you won't rest in peace."

Kalmia then walked out the door with a satisfied expression on her beautiful face, and Abel's eyes narrowed, albeit in exasperation and not anger. He wondered why he had not seen her true colours when they had first met. She had the stubbornness of Esther, the beauty of Lilith and the warm presence felt when he was near Caterina. But Kalmia had her own character traits, and although Abel found them gradually tiring him out, he was grateful for the life she had awoken within him.

He had followed Kalmia to the marketplace, and she had casually looped her arm around his as though they had been acquaintances for a long time. The place was just as bustling as ever, and Abel found more than one pair of eyes drawn to his strange outfit and Kalmia's arm around his. Kalmia, on the other hand, acted naturally. She purchased the daily necessities, gawked at jewellery and generously bought a light snack for Abel and herself. Abel could not focus on her comments on the goods sold. Instead, his ears were abundant of the whispers of many who surrounded him and Kalmia.

"_Oh, look at _them_," _an old lady had whispered to her husband.

"_They're so good with one another," _said two young girls, giggling to each other.

"_He's just _so _handsome," _a smitten teenage girl remarked breathily, looking at Abel's silvery hair.

"_Are they married?" _

Abel heard the last statement almost everywhere he went for the next two days. On the third day, he had been very worried for Ion, and Kalmia grumbled that each time she looked at him her sunny mood would instantly be dampened. They seemed to spend almost every second in each other's company, as Kalmia's family members had gone to a neighbouring province to seek the services of security guards to be positioned around their house.

Kalmia told Abel almost everything, whereas he would only smile and keep silent most of the time. His thoughts always seemed to drift towards Ion and Cain. He worried for Ion, unconscious for a fretfully long time, due to the severity of his injuries on his head. Cain's words kept floating into his mind, taunting him, destroying the peaceful moments he shared with Kalmia. As much as he wanted to disentangle himself from Kalmia, her frequent smiles would cause him to forget the thought.

In the evening, the both of them journeyed up to the highest hill in Aswan to admire the view of the horizon from the great height, and to see the remains of the old dam that stood at the Nile river long before the time of Armageddon. Abel had been looking at the breathtaking view, his mind going back to the time when he and Cain had been the ones sitting above hilltops, and pointing out interesting sights to each other.

Kalmia watched Abel all the time, her eyes occasionally coming to rest on his faraway blue eyes that mirrored the sky. She touched his shoulder very softly, and that woke Abel from his thoughts. He smiled at her apologetically, and she returned his smile, but her face turned serious again.

"Abel-san," she began as he listened attentively. Kalmia took in the perfectly sculptured features on his face and gazed adoringly at the silver strands that swayed in the wind. "Why do I have a feeling that we have met before?"

Abel frowned at her question. He had not known that Kalmia felt the same. True enough, she was almost like Lilith in many ways. When he was with her, Abel felt somewhat at ease, as though the warmth she shared with him took his pain away. "No, I- I don't think so," Abel told her truthfully. Kalmia nodded very slowly at this, but her forehead was still creased.

"I just have this strange feeling of familiarity when I'm with you. It's like- I feel that we've known each other for years," she said, but then gave away to a bout of laughter. "But I think that's just absurd, we've only just met! But this strange feeling- somehow it feels true." Kalmia's earnestness was so evident in her tone that Abel was touched.

"I've never known a person like you. You smile at me, and you treat me so kindly, even when your mind's bothered by something," she added observantly. Abel's eyes flickered to her for a second before gazing once more at the sky, watching the sunset. "You're going to kill him, aren't you?" Kalmia asked, and Abel's attention was drawn to her once more. "The person who tried to kill me," she stated.

Amazed at her clear mind, Abel could only nod. Kalmia laughed at his reaction. Her fingers went to the scar that Cain left on her neck, an ugly jagged scar that bore the reminder of pain and helplessness. Abel flinched when she touched the uneven flesh, as though he could feel her pain. But Kalmia's face remained serene. "You might think I'm insane, but I'm thankful that I met you. If he had never tried to kill me, we would never have met, don't you think?"

Abel chuckled softly at this. "You don't know what insanity is like, Kalmia," he said softly, his thoughts straying to Cain with his smile showing off his white teeth stained with blood. Abel gave a shudder, and his movements went noticed by Kalmia. She looked at him in concern, but he gave a disarming wave, trying to convince her that he was all right. "But then again," Abel started to change the subject. "It's good that we met." He then flashed her a bright smile. Though Kalmia knew his doing was merely to soothe her worries, she returned his smile sweetly.

As they both walked down the hill towards the residence of Kalmia's aunt, ignoring the whispers of those people who passed by, Kalmia edged closer towards Abel. She could not comprehend how a beautiful man could carry the burden which was so vividly written on his face. He truly was an epitome of melancholic beauty, she realised. Without being aware of what she was doing, Kalmia slipped her hand around Abel's and squeezed his long fingers reassuringly. Abel was both shocked and touched by the sudden contact, and he found himself squeezing Kalmia's hand back.

When he looked at the smiling face of the lovely woman who walked beside him, Abel knew why he felt so vulnerable. Kalmia was Lilith in form and grace, and her protective nature was very much like Lilith's own. But personality wise, she was unmistakably like Seth. Abel found himself missing the two women in his life very much. His meeting with Lilith during his death had been painfully short, whereas he had not seen Seth since that day they stood among the green trees in the Empire.

Kalmia had been a refreshing breeze, a momentary retreat, before he had to pronounce the ultimatum. He felt Lilith's words grappling his own movements, but fortunately, they were already inside the mansion. Kalmia had seated herself on a chair comfortably, with her worried eyes fixed on hers. Again, he thought he saw Lilith on the chair, concern written all over her face.

Abel suddenly felt so guilty. Kalmia had shown him nothing but kindness, but he had kept silent and refused to share any of his personal information with her. And her resemblance to Lilith made his guilt all the more pronounced. Abel strode over to her and sat on the chair opposite hers. As soon as Kalmia read his body language, she leaned forward interestedly. Abel took a deep breath.

"Kalmia, there's something you must know," Abel began. "I once knew a wom-"

"Your Ladyship, Your Lordship, he has awakened!" a voice broke through Abel's words. A maid came rushing down the stairs, panting with each stride she took. Abel broke off his eye contact with Kalmia as he stood up to follow the maid. He threw a glance at her over his shoulder, trying to tell her that he was most regretful of the abrupt interruption. Kalmia only smiled forgivingly at him and nudged her head forwards, indicating for him to hurry. As Abel and the maid left the room, Kalmia leaned back against her chair, sighing sadly.

///

When Abel entered the room, Ion was tossing and turning on the bed, his eyes closed shut. Abel dashed forth to his side while the maid filled a glass of water should Ion request of it. Abel sat by the side of his bed and held Ion's hand warmly in his. At feeling a person's fingers curled around his own, Ion ceased his violent shaking and slowly opened his eyes. Abel was shocked to see that the garnet orbs were shining with tears.

"Nightroad-sama, you're all right," Ion spoke, his voice raspy. Abel reached for the glass of water sooner than the maid could and helped Ion to sit upright. Ion's hand shakily reached out for the glass and emptied in a second. Abel could only stare in amazement as the Methuselah closed his eyes for a while as though to savour the sweetness of the cool water. Abel patted Ion gently on the shoulder.

"Do you still feel pain anywhere, Ion-sama?" he asked concernedly. Ion shook his head at Abel, his shoulders slumped as though he was tired. He touched his bandaged head lightly, and sighed.

"I had so many nightmares," Ion recalled, leaning back against the pillows. "I saw my grandmother murdered, the Empress' throne empty, Radu calling me from the dead and Esther bleeding to death." With each memory, Abel repressed a shudder. At times, dreams were terrifying, even for Abel himself. "I even saw you dying, trying to save me," Ion added, his eyes boring into Abel's. Abel tried to smile at Ion to comfort him, but failed utterly. It could have happened, thought Abel, had he not been a Crusnik.

"What happened to Cain Nightlord? And the Puppet Master?" inquired Ion. A gentle sigh from Abel made Ion's heart drop in his chest.

"The Puppet Master is dead. But Cain- he lives," Abel answered, his eyes not meeting Ion's. Abel heard the sound of the Methuselah drawing the blankets closer to him. Ion had touched his head, and felt the sharp pain blaze through his mind when his fingers contacted the parts, which were heavily bandaged. It felt as though someone had beaten him so hard, his skull had cracked into two. Abel moved closer to him as the same guilt he felt when he was with Kalmia welled up in him once more.

"I am going to battle Cain in the next two days," Abel said as he stood up and was about to walk out the room, when Ion's voice halted him in his steps.

"You're going alone?"

At the sound of Ion's question, Abel looked over his shoulder and nodded. Before he could even reach the door, Ion had dashed forth and blocked Abel's exit. His garnet eyes flared fiercely at the Crusnik, and he bared his fangs at Abel.

"You're always handling things by yourself! You never ask for help, you just put on responsibility after responsibility on your shoulders. When are you going to depend on others? When will you value how much others care for you?" Ion had shouted out. He inhaled sharply before giving out a cry louder than others.

"When will you tell me the _bloody _truth!?"

All movements in the room seemed to have stilled. Even Kalmia who rested a floor beneath the room where Abel and Ion were, had jerked at the sound of Ion's shouting. She had stood up quickly fearing for Abel but then remembered the look in his eyes that reflected how much he valued his privacy. She sat down gracefully, albeit with much difficulty. Her brown eyes kept straying up to the ceiling.

Meanwhile, Ion and Abel faced each other. Abel's face was calm, but Ion was practically fuming with rage. His fingers were balled into fists, his nerves itching to slap the inane calmness from Abel's face. When Abel's eyes were fully open and the sky blue in them shone piercingly, Ion's fire subsided. He took a step away and hobbled slowly back to his bed, his joints aching with pain from their previous exerting activity. Abel had walked over slowly to the chair by the bed and sat down quietly.

It had been so long since he last told the story to Caterina, and that had been when she was a young girl. Besides telling Caterina, Ion was the only Methuselah to whom Abel revealed the truth of his past. As he took a deep breath, Abel saw that Ion's expression was full of hope and anxiousness. He only hoped that Ion would not choose to run away when he had finished his story. Slowly, Abel's calm voice filled the room, and the words that he had condemned to silence began flowing through his mouth, and Ion found himself drawn into the veiled world of the silver-haired being before him.

_The scientists were speaking to Abel, but he refused to look at them in the face. Abel hated them. He hated the way their masks and goggles covered their faces. But he hated the goggles more than the masks. They never took their goggles off. When they removed their masks, Abel saw the wide, frightening smile on their faces. Therefore, each time when they took off their masks, he refused to look at them. _

_Abel disliked the current environment he was in. The room was white and sparkling, but strange machinery and beeping sounds were all over the place. Every now and then, Abel would feel a slight pain in his side, and he would know that the scientists were piercing a needle into his body, and a strange liquid would be introduced into his body. _

_During his first experience, Abel had cried out. The scientists did not stop; in fact, he heard the lightest sound of chuckles coming from one of the white monsters. This had ignited Abel's anger, and from then on, he refused to scream. When they told him to sleep, he slept. When he was told to lie down on the examination table, he obeyed. Whatever they told him to do, Abel did it flawlessly. But never once did his hatred for them dim. _

_It had been like every other day. Scientists came in and went. Abel only watched them from the small chair he was asked to sit in. He did not speak to them at all, and they did not wish to hear his voice either. The doors suddenly opened, and a tall woman with long red hair parted into two long sections and tied at the top of her head entered the room. Abel could not help gasping, for she took his breath away. _

_She was very tall, even taller than most of the scientists in his room. The brown-eyed gaze she possessed was clear and strong, and the way she moved in her beautiful flowing robes was graceful and quiet. When her eyes fell on him, she gave him a smile. Abel refused to return the gesture, thinking she was alike to the scientists who smiled maliciously when he was in pain. The woman came very close to him, still smiling, and touched his cheek gently._

"_Hello, Abel," the woman spoke in a warm voice. He glared at her meaningfully. _

"_Who are you?" he found himself asking her, though his tone was rude and insulting. The woman appeared to be undaunted as she held his hand in her hers. Abel found himself liking the touch of her warm soft hand on his cold one._

"_I'm Lilith. I'm just like you," she said congenially. Abel narrowed his eyes at her. He did not know that there were others who were like him. Lilith noticed his doubtful gaze and laughed. "What I meant was I _am _genetically engineered, alike to you. I was manufactured in India."_

"_I- I'm Abel," Abel said awkwardly, for she already knew his name, but he could not think of anything else to say. "I'm from England. But why are you bigger than me?" he blurted out. Lilith covered her mouth demurely as she giggled softly. Her eyes sparkled at him._

"_I was the prototype for the scientists. I'm the first of our kind in existence," informed Lilith, her tone neither boastful nor humble. She said it matter-of-factly. Abel drew his silver brows together, but he no longer felt like being cold towards her._

"_You're strange," he remarked._

"_No stranger than you are," she shot back. Abel unconsciously smiled at her retort and she gave a gasp of delight. "You should smile more often, you look very sweet."_

"_Sweet?" Abel asked, not comprehending what she said. Was 'sweet' not the word used only for food? Did Lilith look at him as a delicacy? But Abel had no time to think, for Lilith had taken him by the hand and walked him out the room. _

"_Where are we going?" he asked her. She beamed at him, and steered him down the corridor. Abel waited for her answer, but he did not receive it. Disappointed at her, he tugged his hand back, but she gripped him all the more firmly. Abel was sulking as they passed by many scientists, until they came to a door that led to a room. Now, Lilith opened her mouth._

"_Meet your new friend, Abel."_

"_Friend?" Abel asked bafflingly, uncomprehending. True enough, he knew what friends were, but he did not know when someone close to him was considered a friend. Was Lilith a friend? Abel drew himself away from the thoughts, reminding himself that he had only met her a while ago. The door opened, and Lilith pulled Abel gently into the room. Abel gave a gasp._

_Sitting on a chair with legs neatly folded, posture perfectly straight and hands clasped together gracefully was a boy. Abel stared at him disbelievingly. The boy was about the same age as him, had a hairstyle extremely similar to his, and wore the same uniform as him, save that the trimming at the ends of the unknown's uniform was red instead of the blue trimming on Abel's own. The boy stood up when he saw Lilith and bowed gentlemanly before greeting her. When he turned to Abel however, his face turned puzzled and confused. His forehead was creased in concentration, assessing Abel. _

_Meanwhile, Abel was looking at the boy's hair. It was so beautiful, thought Abel. Strand by strand was a remarkable colour of gold. Abel took a step forward, then another, until he and the boy were scarcely a foot away from each other. The boy's blue eyes were fixed on Abel, and did not blink even when Abel stepped even closer towards him. Abel reached out a hand and bravely touched one golden bang that fell over the boy's forehead. When he realised how close he and the boy were, Abel felt warmth rising up to his cheeks. Nevertheless, he puffed out his chest, and mustered up his courage in front of the golden haired boy._

"_I like your hair," Abel found himself saying. He heard Lilith lightly chuckling from behind him, though she did not say anything. "It's very nice."_

_At hearing Abel's compliment, the boy's serious face broke out into a smile. Abel too felt the corners of his lips curve upwards on its own accord. The boy touched his hair self-consciously. "You like it?" he asked Abel, his voice light. "I thought my hair colour was common, most of the scientists have the same hair colour as me."_

_Abel shook his head at the boy's statement. "But I still like it," said Abel firmly, refusing to back down from his previous statement regarding the boy's hair. The boy suddenly laughed, a strange sound to Abel. He did not know how to do so. Even when Lilith had stifled a giggle and chuckled lightly, Abel was clueless. He only knew how to smile. Before Abel knew it, the boy had reached out his own hand and touched the lock that fell over Abel's forehead._

"_You should look at your own hair," murmured the boy, stroking the lock as though it was the most natural thing in the world to do, ignoring Abel's red cheeks. "I've never seen anyone with silver hair before. Grey and white, yes, but silver is unique." _

_Abel smiled very widely this time, showing his teeth. The boy replied his smile, showing equally white teeth, neatly arranged in his mouth. Abel held out his hand as a gesture of friendship that he had learnt recently. "My name's Abel," he introduced. The boy blinked his blue eyes, and Abel could not help being reminded of the person he often saw in the mirror. The boy had eyes so similar to his own, and they had the same height and haircut._

"_I'm Cain," stated the boy, and shook Abel's hand with a satisfied smile, though Abel noticed how the boy named Cain held onto his hand longer than required. When he let go, Abel felt a blush creeping up his cheeks. Lilith had come to both of them, and rested her hands on their shoulders._

"_That was very lovely of both of you, I'm very happy," she praised, her hands stroking the back of their necks. Abel looked to Lilith, and then to Cain, feeling extremely delighted at the two acquaintances he had formed that day._


	32. Chapter 32: Kaerarenu mirai o sono te de

Disclaimer: **Trinity Blood and its characters do not belong to me. **

Author's Note: I uploaded before Christmas! To all my reviewers and readers, Merry Christmas! Make sure to get lotsa presents;)

Wheeee! My theme song's lyrics are kindda weird, but here's a hint, read it in reverse!;) trust utada to be unique, I love her style… oh, and I've recently gotten addicted to X, the anime series, so I chose eX Dream by Myuji as the title inspiration song.

Cookies to **jhanna555, zazzy, Delilah von Lohengrin and Ireina Kurotsuki!!**

* * *

/

_snwod dna spu ynam os _

_my heart's a battleground_

_snoitome eurt deen i_

_wonk uoy naht noitceffa erom deen i_

-Sanctuary by Utada Hikaru-

/

**Silver and Blond**

**Chapter ****32: Kaerarenu mirai o sono te de kanjite  
**

_**(Feel the unchangeable future within your hands)**_

Abel paused in his story, watching Ion's reaction. The lovely garnet orbs only stared straight at Abel, mesmerised by the tale that had lived through the many eons before Ion had even come into existence. Hearing such a tale, knowing that every single occurrence was real, made Ion feel small and insignificant in the intricate weave of history that twisted its appearance at its own whim.

After Abel remained silent, collecting the memories that lay scattered in the recesses of his mind, Ion suddenly found his voice.

"Please, do continue," Ion urged softly, hoping that Abel would not stare at him with eyes that betrayed all the sadness the silver-haired being had harboured since the madness of life descended on him.

Abel's face betrayed nothing, but a slight breeze hid the faint telltale of tears behind a silver curtain. When he spoke, he himself felt catapulted into the realm that had kept the darkest of his secrets in the sanctuary that was lost in the sands of time.

_Abel stayed with Cain for the many days that came. They shared one room, and their beds were not far from each other, just as Abel wanted. Before sleep, they talked about everything that came into their minds. Abel was so happy with Cain's company, and to add to his miraculous delight, the scientists had stopped injecting foreign substances into his body. Most of the time, they ran scans on him, with Lilith accompanying him. Abel felt safe and protected with Cain and Lilith. He no longer saw the scientists as white, cold, unfeeling monsters that he had always labelled them as. _

_They learned new things together, and Abel was most enthusiastic when Cain was around. For some unknown reason, Cain's dreamy blue gaze and golden hair seemed to lighten the atmosphere with his generous smile and gentle pats on Abel's hand. Abel wanted Cain to stay around him for as long as possible, and he always felt down and sulky during the latter's absence. Lilith would laugh good-naturedly at seeing his sour face. She teased about his blushing when Cain held his hand, and Abel would blush so fiercely that it would send Lilith into another fit of laughter. Each moment spent with Cain was a new experience. And Abel loved it when they watched the moon and used the telescope to view Mars from the Earth space station. They even pointed out to the stars and called them as their own. _

_Not before long, on a fine day, Lilith had entered their room. At that moment, Abel had been lying down by Cain's side on his bed, his eyes sparkling in excitement as he listened to Cain's story. When Abel had asked Cain to tell his story on his bed, Cain had simply refused to, and insisted strongly that he tell it on Abel's bed, in order for Abel to listen very clearly to each word he said. _

_Then, the doors opened, and Lilith strode into the room, her eyes widening at seeing Abel and Cain on the same bed. However, she only smiled at them and sat down gently on Abel's bed, the three of them sitting in the same place.. Abel and Cain had straightened themselves, and leaned forwards to hear Lilith better._

"_I've got good news for the both of you," she began. Abel lifted his eyebrow._

"_We're going to Mars?" he said guessingly, remembering how the scientists seemed to have developed a particular fondness for mentioning the strange place. Lilith only shook her head at him. She took both Cain and Abel's hands in her own and inhaled firstly before continuing._

"_You will have a new friend joining you," she informed. Abel and Cain immediately frowned and released their hands from her clasp. Abel's right hand had taken Cain's left one, whereas Cain's right hand had done the same to Abel's left one.. As they held hands, they shook their heads similarly, both of them oblivious to the strange sight they made. Two boys, hand in hand, all features alike save for their hair colour, shaking their head at the same time._

"_I don't need another friend, I have Cain!" said Abel strongly. Just as Lilith was about to coax him, Cain had opened his mouth._

"_And I don't want someone else, Abel is here with me!" he declared. Looking at the both of them, Lilith only sighed. She touched their upper arms very gently. She curled her fingers around their arms, and Abel and Cain exchanged glances with each other, knowing it was a no-win situation with Lilith. Practically dragging the both of them from their room, the three of them made a strange sight that summoned the attention of many scientists at work. Lilith looked up to the DNA scanner, as Cain and Abel followed her actions. As soon as they were granted access, they made their way into the room. Just as Abel had first met Cain during the years back, now, he gasped with the exact intonation as he had done before. _

_Lilith had walked over to something round and white resting on the floor, and it seemed as though it was hollow inside. She put her arms into it, and Abel could not help starting when she carried a young girl in her arms. Abel looked at the unfamiliar person in Lilith's arms, his shock evident in his eyes, whereas Cain observed her from a few steps behind Abel. Abel was curious to see the young girl all the more clearly and stepped closer. _

_Her eyes were large, he noticed. Their deep green matched the colour of her hair, tied in two ponytails at the sides of her head. She looked at him with the same expression that he bore. Lilith bounced the young girl playfully, making a ticking sound with her tongue._

"_Seth, this is Abel," she told the young girl. The girl looked at Abel for a long time, then reached out a small hand with short fingers and tugged on the silver lock that fell over his forehead. It was not a tug with much strength to cause pain, but Abel was surprised by her actions. He stumbled a few steps back. The girl then pointed at Abel._

"_Onii-san," she said in her tiny voice. Abel's mouth was gawking open in wonder and even Cain was surprised. Lilith hid a smile behind her hand. She touched Seth's puffy cheek with a smile on her face._

"_Seth dear, that's Abel," Lilith said, trying to make Seth say the name of the boy with silver hair. Seth only shook her head at Lilith, and pointed once more at Abel._

"_Onii-san," she insisted stubbornly. When Cain stepped forward, Seth tilted her head to her side, looking at Cain with confusion mirrored in her big eyes. Lilith came closer to Cain, patting Seth's back affectionately. _

_Surprisingly enough, Seth was able to say Cain's name perfectly, and Cain rewarded her with a light kiss on her rosy cheek. Seth had laughed at this in her gurgling babyish voice and played for a while with his finger. When it came to Abel, Seth beamed at him and kept on calling him 'Onii-san', instead of his name. Abel had taken to this with a welcome attitude, unsure whether reprimanding or encouraging Seth was the right action to take. Instead, he had only smiled at her each time she called him 'older brother'._

_Cain and Abel found themselves warming towards the young girl with big green eyes. She ran all over the Ark, delighting in each person she bumped into. The boys had been through a whole lot of trouble trying to keep Seth still. She simply refused to stay in the same place longer than a minute. In the end, Abel and Cain ended up locking themselves in the same room as her, pulling funny faces and miming stupid movements for Seth to entertain herself with. She laughed each time they cracked a joke, and Lilith was more than delighted at seeing the positive progress made by the trio. _

_When Seth was old enough to form proper sentences with her musical voice, she kept on insisting that she was the younger sister to both Cain and Abel. The boys frowned at this, for Lilith had never spoken of them being siblings. Abel and Cain had confronted her when she had no duties in the Health Care Area. _

"_Are we truly siblings, Lilith?" Abel asked at first. Lilith turned away from the notes she had been writing and shook her head at both of them._

"_You see, Abel, to be a sibling of a person, you must be borne of the same father or same mother as that particular person," she explained. Cain then stepped forward, his expression focused._

"_Then, do Abel and I share the same parents? Does Seth share the same parents with us as well?" he asked. Then, Cain added observantly, "The surname that we three share is 'Nightlord', after all." _

"_Although that is so," said Lilith to Cain slowly. "The three of you are _not _siblings. You have no parents. You were born through the means of genetic engineering. Abel, Seth and you were genetically engineered, your DNA structure arranged by the scientists of the Red Mars Project. You have no bond of blood with each other. It's not even _blood _that flows through your veins. As test tube babies, we are different from ordinary human beings." Lilith looked out the tiny window from the room they were in. Abel knew instantly that she was thinking of the residents of Earth._

_Abel and Cain both tried to relay Lilith's words to Seth in a simpler way, though she took it very confusedly. She admitted that she agreed with the fact that they did not have blood relations, but she was adamant in thinking that she was their little sister. Cain was rather furious at Seth's childish indignation and stormed out of the room, wanting to tell Lilith of the girl's disobedience. Abel had stayed behind and cheered Seth up, wiping away her tears and persuaded her into joining him in a playful wrestle with him. When Cain returned after failing to find Lilith, he saw Seth and Abel tumbling on the floor together. Dismissing his previous anger, Cain joined in the tumble, and the three of them were a heap of heads and limbs when Lilith arrived. _

_For many years, Cain, Abel, Seth and Lilith stayed together, and with each moment they shared, they grew closer to each other. As they were members of the Red Mars Project, the four of them were trained in the UNASF army. Cain and Abel both took a liking to combat, whereas Seth preferred the study of science and was in love with the laboratory more than any other place in the world. Lilith's gentle and caring personality brought her to be in charge of the Health and Care Department and she loved treating the patients. _

_Abel had first noted the change and informed Cain but the latter seemed unconcerned and thankful at the absence of many scientists. Like Abel and Seth, Cain too hated the infusions that the scientists gave the three of them on a monthly basis. But soon, the gap between the infusions began to lengthen, observed Abel, but Cain and Seth chose to remain oblivious to the fact. They spent their time laughing and quarrelling about petty matters. When Abel could bear keeping his curiosity to himself no longer, he excused himself from Cain and Seth and looked around for Lilith. Abel finally caught sight of Lilith's regal head from the glass window in a door, but he chose not to enter when he heard a man's voice._

"_-the other one doing?" the man was saying. _

"_He is responding positively to stimulation, just like the others," replied Lilith. Abel's eyes widened as he realised that the both of them were talking about him. Abel then kept very quiet, trying his best to eavesdrop as discreetly as he could._

"_Ah, no matter. Cain is doing remarkably fine, as you tell me. I only wanted to check on his twin's progress," said the man. _Twin_, wondered Abel. He had thought all the while that Lilith had stressed to them that they were not siblings. But the next sentence made Abel's heart skip a beat. "I only created the twin should Cain suffer the loss of a body part, thus this explains why I made them genetically identical. But since the twin is a success, I don't really regret creating it."_

"_What made you think he was not going to do well?" Abel heard Lilith ask the man. "He is a brilliant boy, caring and-"_

"_You're taking this too emotionally, Lilith," reprimanded the man. "It's just a creation. But then again, it is a successful creation, together with the other two," said him after a while. Abel could barely breathe as his mind processed the information. "The twin's DNA structure was made to be exactly the same as the original. At the behest of several disgruntled scientists, its hair colour had to be altered to mark it different from its original. And Cain was our top creation, after you came into being and we made amendments, based on your progress. But I fear the third one was created too late, it might not be able to grow fully before joining the mission to Mars."_

"_Why the sudden rush in us going to Mars?" Lilith tried to say. "We've just entered the army, it's painful at that-"_

"_Earth cannot hold so much people, Lilith. And this project has been delayed for too long." The man cut her off. "Some of the humans _must _move to Mars."_

_After a long silence and the sound of things moving, Abel dashed away, not caring if the both of them still continued to speak, for he could bear to listen no longer. Was it true what the man had said? Was he really Cain's refuge for spare parts? Did they share the same DNA structure? _

_Abel stopped in his run, and slumped to the floor in defeat. As he raised his head to look forward, he saw his own face mirrored in the shiny surface of the wall. Now that he scrutinised his features very closely, Abel realised that he and Cain did share many similarities. Abel even thought for a second that he saw Cain, although in fact, he knew that it was his own reflection that stared back at him. _

_Abel then returned to the room where Cain and Seth were. When Seth cajoled him into joining the game she and Cain played, Abel had roughly freed himself from her grasp and strode his way to his room. Abel felt tears welling up in his eyes, stinging with each step he took. Along the way, he bumped into someone hard. When Abel looked up at the person, fiercely wanting to tell the person off, he felt his tongue go limp in his mouth when he saw that it was Lilith. Seeing his bloodshot eyes and flaming cheeks, Lilith had held on firmly to him and asked very gently what was wrong. At hearing her motherly tone, Abel burst into tears and clung onto her. _

_He confessed hastily what he had heard from behind the door and apologised for his doing. Abel half-expected Lilith to yell and scold him, but instead, she stroked his cheek gently, saying that she had known all the time, and was not angry that Abel had overheard the conversation. Hugging him closely, she had whispered into his hair, saying that the old scientist she had talked to did not understand how the feelings of the four Crusniks had evolved to match a normal human. When Abel had sadly mentioned him being Cain's refuge for spare parts, Lilith had only held him closer, saying that Cain truly cared for him as a person, and that Abel would always be a single, special person in Cain's eyes, just as he was to Lilith and Seth._

_It had taken some time for Abel to speak to Cain as normally as he always did. When Cain spoke to him, Abel ignored him, choosing to reside within his own bitterness. At certain points, he brushed away the hand that Cain placed on his shoulder, angry at Cain's utter perfection, and sad that he still could not forgive Cain for unconsciously making Abel his replacement. _

_Abel had been lying down in his bed, with tears trickling down his cheeks when Cain silently came in. Abel dug his face deeper into his pillow, not wishing to see Cain's face. It caught him completely off guard when he felt arms encircle his waist. Abel had thrashed against Cain's hold and glared at the latter with a ferocity that Cain could never portray._

"What_?" Abel had grated out. Cain had only blinked his sky blue eyes at Abel's equally blue ones and snuggled closer to Abel's body, sighing gently as he did so._

"_You've been so cold to me. I miss you," Cain whispered. Abel felt his heart crack at this. He gently touched Cain's arm that was looped around his waist, silently apologising to the one person he could not bear to hurt._

"_I'm sorry," Abel finally said, and he could feel Cain smile against the back of his neck. For some reason, this brought a smile to Abel's face too. Cain was always the person who could turn his sorrow into delight._

_Abel's anger resurfaced a few years later in another unfortunate accident. This time, it involved the four Crusniks. As the years passed by, Abel noticed that the number of scientists seemed to decrease. Lilith's face got more and more serious, and only when Cain, Seth and Abel would joke around with her, only then would she laugh. She looked more stressed up, and it appeared as though more than one responsibility had been placed on her shoulders. One day, just like an ordinary day for the three young Crusniks, they were in a room together playing. Abel had told of his being Cain's replacement to the other two and Seth had been most angry at hearing the part where she was created the latest. But she was baffled when Abel told her of him and Cain sharing the same DNA structure._

"_But how can that be true? You both aren't alike in the least!" she had protested vehemently. She screwed up her little nose and pointed her finger at Cain's face. "You're not like Abel-niisan at all! Abel-niisan has silver hair, and he always wears this tiny smile on his face. You on the other hand only smile very nicely at certain times, and when Abel-niisan's in front of you. Otherwise you're as hard as stone!" Seth declared, much to Cain's outrage. He pummelled the little girl to the ground as Abel looked on laughingly._

"_How dare you?" Cain cried out in a voice of mocking rage. He tickled Seth's ribs, her most sensitive part, and she burst out laughing. "Are you trying to imply that-"_

_Lilith suddenly emerged through the doors that slid open. Cain and Seth looked up from their positions on the floor, confused. Abel was about to greet her until he noticed how her soft brown eyes were very much worried. Without a single word to the three of them, she ushered them out of the room and led them to another room, which was used for infusing them. Cain and Abel reluctantly went in when she shoved them inside, their faces half angry, half afraid. But Seth had refused to step in and burst out into tears when she remembered what had been done to her in that particular room. _

_The tall redhead had gently coaxed her until she came about and followed Lilith into the room. Lilith then took the three of them to a corner and laid a finger on her lips, telling them to be quiet. Abel and Cain had exchanged glances, trying their best to comprehend the events that took place, but failed utterly. _

_The Ark was suddenly rocked by a startling hard impact. Seth was about to cry out, but Lilith had gathered Seth into her arms, and hushed the frightened girl. Cain had gripped onto Abel's hand so tightly that Abel found the bones in his fingers crushing upon each other. But he remained silent. Another impact came smashing into another side of the Ark, and the four Crusniks found themselves holding onto the metal bars for support as the Ark gave way, rocking violently. Abel and Cain had held onto each other, whereas Lilith was trying very hard to not let Seth give away a sound. Seth instead burst into tears, her cries muffled in the folds of Lilith's robe. When the third blow came slamming, it sent Abel and Cain rolling across the floor and were about to crash into the door had Lilith not been holding on to Abel's spacesuit. _

_Out of nowhere, a vibration came from within the Ark. The four of them heard a loud sound and felt the Ark shake as something was launched out of it, followed by another, then another. Lilith almost identified the vibration to be the result of the firing of projectiles from the Ark, though she was not so sure of her own deduction. A few minutes following the gaping silence, Lilith's worried face eased into an expression of relief._

_Later on, Lilith told the three of them of the war that raged on Earth. It was what made the scientists return to their planet. The vampires, or Methuselahs, as they called themselves, had launched war upon the normal humans, or Terrans, after they had been infused with the Bacillus virus that destroyed haemoglobin in their blood. The Terrans, who sought to control the spaceship, launched attacks upon the Ark from Earth. _

_The Ark had not been crafted by humans, but by aliens or other extraterrestrial beings. The ghostly mode of transport appeared to be the same place where humans had discovered the Bacillus virus and the Crusnik nanomachines that were infused into Cain, Abel, Seth and Lilith. Apparently, the vibrations that came from within the Ark had been the Ark's own defence against the attacks by the Terrans. When Abel asked who had controlled the Ark's defensive movements, Lilith had shrugged and said that the Ark had been programmed to protect itself and its occupants without being manned. Dismissing their blank and uncomprehending stares, Lilith only tossed her regal head back and continued her story._

_Besides informing them of the details of the attack, Lilith had also brought news that later on, the Crusniks would be brought down to Earth, and would choose to serve either the Terrans or Methuselahs. Enraged by the attacks launched upon the place they grew up in, Abel, Cain and Seth had immediately sided with the Methuselahs, cursing the humans as they did so. Abel and Seth had their own personal vendettas against the Terrans. _

_Abel was angry for being made Cain's replacement should his 'elder twin' fail to survive the infusion procedure, and Seth was raging when she found out that she could grow no longer with the next infusion she was about to receive. Cain, on the other hand, had been torn, whether or not to side with Abel or Lilith. And Lilith had been trying to convince them that not all the Terrans were made of the bad ones that had attacked them, but instead, there were also young children and innocents just like the three of them. But the Nightlords refused, and Cain finally sided with Abel and Seth, after he had remembered the fear that gripped his heart when the Ark had been attacked. _

_This incident however, not only drove a wedge between the three Crusniks and Lilith, but also among the three Crusniks, the seeds of bitterness were planted in the three hearts of Abel, Cain and Seth.. If Abel and Seth had thought that by siding with them, Cain was to remain silent and not opine on discussed matters, they were so very wrong. There were times when Abel and Seth argued with Cain, who was angry at the insults the other two fired at the Terrans. Although Cain sided with the Methuselah, he had no wish to see the annihilation of the Terrans. His gentle demeanour and peace-loving nature strictly forbade him to seek joy in the act of killing. _

_While Cain wisely avoided the other two Nightlords, Abel and Seth were awaiting their return to Earth, anxious to battle the Terrans who had laid the cursed maze of Fate at their feet. But somehow, their quarrels with Cain always subsided, with the help of Lilith who tried not to make either of them turn against the other, insisting that whether or not they sided with Terran or Methuselah, the four of them were still the only Crusniks created in the world, and that they had to always remain close to each other. _

_Fate gave them no escape from the path they chose to walk, and the day of judgement arrived. As the solemn hour approached, Abel found himself secretly dreading the very moment when he would go down to Earth and join the war. Even though his mind had portrayed gory images of decapitated Terrans with the Crusniks and Methuselah standing proud in their bloodstained victory, he could not imagine robbing the life of another person, stranger or not. Cain was well aware of Abel's inner turmoil and discomfort and comforted Abel at each opportunity._

_Eager to find some warmth in the chilled atmosphere of his soul, Abel had entered the room Cain was in. The handsome blond has his back to Abel, but Abel knew that Cain had felt his presence even before he had stepped into the room. It was an uncanny telekinetic ability they both shared with each other, and Abel had no idea whether it had existed since they both had been created or it was merely a manifestation of their profound affection for each other. _

"_Cain," Abel asked as they were looking at the peaceful surface of the Earth from the small window of their room. "Are you angry at me for being angry at the Terrans?"_

_At Abel's question, Cain merely traced the line of his jaw and pinched Abel's cheek playfully. "Of course not. I could never be angry at you, I love you too much," said Cain. He then pulled Abel's face closer to his and brought their lips together in a kiss, and an ocean of strong, devote emotions poured through the contact._

_At this, Abel felt his cheeks burn. It had been many years since he and Cain had loved each other, but they did so secretly. But on the Ark, nothing remained secret for a long time, now that only the four of them were the only occupants. Lilith had said nothing, but would hide her smile when she saw Cain and Abel holding hands as they walked. Seth would tease them from time to time, pulling a disgusted face when they saw her. But otherwise, the four of them were all right with the daily affairs that took place. _

_When the time came for them going down to Earth for the first time, Abel had tried to convince Lilith to join the Methuselahs with them, but Lilith had strongly refused, saying that the Terrans needed her more. Furious at her refusal, Abel had not spoken her throughout the whole journey down to Earth, despite Seth's playfulness and Cain's positive outlook. But before they had parted with Lilith, she had taken Abel's hand and pulled him close._

"_Perhaps you do not see what I see now, Abel," she whispered into his ear. Abel had glared at her, but Lilith had taken it all calmly, and smiled at him. "It's all right with you being on the same side with the Methuselahs, but I hope that you realise the truth I'm speaking when you see the big picture. Do not go looking for it, Abel, for the truth is somehow always painful to learn."_


	33. Chapter 33: Nani wo motometeiru no?

Disclaimer: **Trinity Blood and its characters do not belong to me. **

Author's Note: A present from me to all my reviewers and readers out there! This has gotta be my longest chapter yet, around 7000 words in one single chapter. I just couldn't bear to separate the chapter into two, so I divided it into two parts. Ooo, and Ireina Kurotsuki had recommended the song Bye Bye Beautiful, and I put it in the first part:) In the second part, I used the song Eclipsed by Evans Blue, and this song is VERY beautiful. If you've got time, do check out the full lyrics, I almost cried when I read it all. Yet another song of Cain and Abel. Hmmm, this story is finally almost done!! For the title, it's Kare Uta by Gazette, the first song I heard from them, and made me fall in love with this talented JRock group…

A huge thanks to **PurpleEyed **(your messages are an awesome cure for my homesickness;p), **jhanna555, Delilah von Lohengrin, Zazzy, Issylt, GoddesofWrath**, and **sinfulseraph**!! Sorry for this EXTREMELY late update, but the whole migration for my studies thingy and my depression of missing my home got me held up;p yeah, I'm childish, hehe.. On with the one of the FINAL chapterS!!

* * *

/

**Silver and Blond**

**/**

**Chapter ****33: Nani wo motometeiru no ? Wakaranakutte…  
**

_**(So what am I longing for? I don't know anymore…)**_

_**/**_

_**Part I**_

/

_Did you ever hear what I told you?_

_Did you ever read what I wrote you?_

_Did you ever listen to what we played?_

_Did you ever let in what the world said?_

_Did we get this far just to feel your hate?_

_Did we play to become only pawns in the game?_

_How blind can you be, don't you see?_

_You chose the long road, but we'll be waiting_

-Bye bye beautiful by Nightwish-

/

Ion had remained silent for the many hours since Abel told his story, except for the one part where Abel had paused slightly longer than necessary. As Abel spoke, he himself saw the images flash through his mind, and it drew his breath away, remembering how young he and Cain had been when they were last on the Ark.

Besides telling Ion about his past on the Ark, Abel had also added to a length of the many experiences he had gone through, including his first meeting with Caterina, right up to the present time they were in. Abel's story had been so long, that by the time he finished, it was already the sunset of the fourth day. At Kalmia's orders, the servants had not intruded upon their private conversation.

When the Abel's voice had stopped echoing through the room, Ion could only draw in breath by breath. He now found himself understanding the melancholy etched upon the face of Abel, and the bitterness his face portrayed at certain times. He knew who Lilith had been, and the grudge that Cain harboured against her. At that time too, Ion made sense of the strange way Cain had talked to Abel, his low seductive tones directed to Abel, and that poisonous glance Cain gave that reeked of jealousy shot in Ion's direction.

Cain and Abel had been in love with each other. Yet, as Ion stole a glance at the sad expression on Abel's face, he knew that Abel still loved Cain despite the insanity that claimed Cain's mind, destroying the man Abel had fallen in love with. Ion shifted slowly in his bedclothes, and finally found that his tongue was able to move.

"Nightroad-sama, I will come to aid you in the final battle," Ion said resolutely, even when Abel had shaken his head. "I shall help you to try to bring Cain back from his insanity."

At the young Methuselah's offer, Abel had only smiled while shaking his head. Although he had told so many things he had kept privy to himself only, Ion had not made sense of it all. "You cannot, Ion-sama. Cain himself has demanded that I come alone. There is nothing you can do, except to sacrifice your life in vain. You came with me to destroy the Contra Mundi, and they have been destroyed, Ion-sama. The only one left remaining is Cain, whom only I have the ability to defeat. And this is also to prove the truth of Lilith's prophecy. In this last battle, he and I shall make a grave decision."

"But you have done so much for me!" Ion burst out. "How many times have you saved my life? Not only here, but also in many occasions back then in Byzantium and Carthage! What have I ever done to repay you, Nightroad-sama? Nothing at all," Ion said shamefully, his pale blond bangs sliding over his forehead to cover his face as he bent his head down. Abel laid a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"Ion-sama, do not belittle yourself," Abel said softly. You have granted me your audience, and been a most faithful companion for these many months. You have defied me not even once, and you have been most understanding after listening to my story."

Ion looked up at this, his eyes teary. "But- but that's just so miniscule when compared to what you have done-"

"Ion-sama," Abel called his name firmly. "It is my responsibility. But if you still insist, would you like to perform a final favour for me?" Abel asked, and Ion's eyes brightened at this.

"Name anything, Nightroad-sama!" he cried. "I shall execute the task perfectly for you, whatever it may be," Ion said, wanting to repay the many good deeds Abel had done, not only for him, but for the people he had helped everywhere.

Abel smiled at Ion. "Go to Albion," said he, and Ion looked at him in confusion, his mouth gaping open. Just when Ion was about to protest, Abel continued, undaunted. "Go and see Esther. Make sure she is happy with her new role as the young queen of Albion. I could not grant her what she wanted, but I'm sure you can."

"I- I don't understand," Ion muttered, after hearing Abel's request. He scratched his head confusedly, looking at the serene-looking silver haired man sitting before him. How the absence of his glasses and his freed silver hair could change his image so much, Ion could only wonder. The striking whiteness of his spacesuit trimmed with blue only added to his breathtaking image. "Why me? Why would my being there make Esther any better?" he asked Abel, who only smiled knowingly at Ion's question. Ion gulped, wondering if Abel had seen his hug with Esther when they had been in the Empire.

"Ion-sama, you know you bring her happiness," Abel told the Methuselah, an understanding smile playing on his lips. Ion felt the guilt clutching at him as he could only imagine what sorrows lay beneath the carefree attitude displayed by Abel. "I am unable to, for my heart lies with someone else." Ion caught the faraway look Abel had in his eyes for a moment. "So please, accept this one single favour from me."

It took a very long time for Ion to comply with Abel's wishes, but he finally did so as he nodded very slowly. Abel then chose to exit the room, letting Ion sort out his own thoughts, and praying that all would turn out well in the end. As he slowly closed the door, Abel could have sworn he heard Ion sighing out, the long, hopeless sound heard even when the door was already closed.

The fourth day ended too soon, for Abel felt as though it was gone with one simple breath. Abel did not see Ion at all after that, even when the dawn of the fifth day came. Abel woke up early, determined to leave the house unnoticed. When he secretly peeped into Ion's room, he saw the young boy asleep, his eyelids closed, sheltering the shine of his garnet eyes. Abel looked down, contemplating whether or not to awaken Ion, but in the end, he decided on the latter. He then made his way to Kalmia's room, but it was unoccupied. Puzzled, he took the steps downstairs, and saw that the door was already opened. Four people were standing out the door.

Abel was rather amused at how early the Methuselahs could have gotten out. The sun was only beginning to rise; therefore they had no reason to worry should they be burnt badly by the sunlight. Kalmia was the one who stood at the extreme left, the farthest away from the door. When Abel walked towards the three before her, he was pleased to see that they were Kalmia's parents and aunt. They spoke to Abel at some length, and he felt a slight regret that he had not been acquainted with them earlier, for they had been away most of the time while he was residing in the house of Tiye.

They proved to be warm people with open outlooks, and they only gave him smiles when he informed them of his occupation. Kalmia's mother apologised many times for her not being present while he had been a guest in their house, whereas Kalmia's father and aunt thanked him graciously for saving Kalmia. Abel could only stare at the young woman who looked towards the hills, her eyes dreamy with the thoughts of what lay beyond. When Abel came to Kalmia, she looked at him and laughed.

"I knew you wouldn't stay for breakfast," she remarked jokingly. He laughed along with her, liking the sound of their laughter intertwined together. He looked into her eyes, marvelling at how similar they were to Lilith's. He could only imagine Lilith standing before him, with the purple spot in the middle of her forehead, her eyes shining at him. Kalmia suddenly drew him close in an embrace. After not being embraced for quite a long time, Abel welcomed the gesture, though he hugged her back not longer or closer than necessary. When she pulled back, she had only smiles for him. She touched his silver lock gently; once more enraptured by it as she had been when he had awoken.

"I would have married you," she mused. Abel gave a small smile, wondering how his life would have been if he were not a Crusnik. He could have married Kalmia, and gotten the peaceful life he had always wanted, overflowing with love and serenity. But that would have only been possible had there been no Cain. He remembered Cain's flowing golden hair with his sky blue eyes gleaming with love as he stared at Abel those many years ago. How Abel wished that that Cain could have returned.

"But no doubt, your heart belongs to another," said Kalmia. Abel turned about sharply at her observant manner, and she smiled mischievously at him. "I know," she quipped cheerfully. "I see you with that look of reminiscence in your bright blue eyes, and I'm no fool to deduce that you're in love." Looking down for a second, Kalmia's smile vanished and then reappeared in an instant. "It's all right, Abel-san! I'm not angry or sad; I just hope that the person you love deserves you. You're by far one of the nicest people I've met," she confessed.

"The same to you, Kalmia," Abel said truthfully. But Kalmia still looked as though she was about to burst into tears, then laugh right after. She was shaky, and Abel was just about ready to catch her should she fall. He took her hand and held it comfortingly, liking the smile that appeared on her face. "Kalmia, do you believe in reincarnation?"

Kalmia laughed at his question, and shrugged her shoulders in an off-handed manner. "This _is_ Egypt, Abel-san," she pointed out. Abel inhaled before he spoke once more.

"What if I told you that you were the reincarnation of the woman I loved?" he asked. Kalmia's eyes widened at him, and she covered her mouth in shock.

"You- you're sure about this?" she asked uncertainly. Abel nodded deeply, hoping to convince her and make her smile once more.

"You are just like her, in appearance, in your caring personality…" Abel let his voice trail off as vivid memories of Lilith flashed through his mind. He could still see the smile she wore when they had first met. That smile had drawn him to her. Kalmia's sadness had now vanished, and was replaced by a satisfied type of joy.

"You loved her?" she asked Abel for confirmation.

"Very much," Abel admitted, knowing that it would have taken him a long time to explain the whole situation to Kalmia.

"I'll make her proud," Kalmia declared determinedly, and Abel was touched by her earnest wish.

"You already have," he told her, much to her obvious delight. "Please ensure that the Count finds a proper passage to Albion."

After a final, unexpected, quick embrace from Kalmia, Abel finally found himself ready to go. He was smiling when faced the four Methuselahs, thanking them graciously for their boundless hospitality towards him during his stay. Abel glanced at Kalmia lingeringly, thinking for a moment if it had been his imagination or had she really been crying when her hand had been waving to bid him farewell.

At last, he had turned his back again, and the smile on his face vanished as though someone had wiped it off his face and replaced it with a sober and serious expression. Sunlight and smiles were no longer shining down on him, not as he took his first step of his arduous journey. Abel could feel the weight piling on his feet as he made his way to the same spot where Dietrich von Lohengrin had exploded himself, hoping for his death to mark the extermination of the Crusnik race. And that same spot was where Cain waited for him to arrive.

///

As Abel approached the clearing, he could still smell the lingering odour of burnt wood and saw the blackened marble, licked by the flames that ignited from the explosion. The unmistakable smell of decayed flesh and dried blood was on the air, and Abel knew that with each step he took, he was walking on the remains of the Puppet Master. Although it was only sunrise, the area had a dull, dead look to it.

Even after five days, it was left untouched. No one had intruded upon the area that reeked of death and destruction. Each broken piece of furniture rested in the terrible way as they had last been. Abel only hoped to not see the head of Dietrich lying on a patch of rubble, rotting away. Ravens cried in their terrible voices, flapping their black wings above Abel's heads, scourging for remains. Perhaps, thought Abel, the same ravens above him were the ones who had picked over the last remaining pieces of human flesh. His body gave an involuntary shudder.

The ravens suddenly screeched their ugly cries even louder than before, as a thick red beam that burned of destructive energy scorched the air an inch past his cheek. Abel avoided it just in time and activated his nanomachines, bringing his true form out of him. A maniacal laugh rang from above, extinguishing the remaining echoes of the ravens' cries. As soon as Abel's black wings unfolded and his eyes shone red with the thirst for Methuselah blood, Abel looked up and saw Cain flying through the skies, his mouth open in an expression of bloodthirsty delight and raging anger.

White feathers began to graze the pale smoothness of Abel's cheek as he too took off for the skies, matching his eye level up to Cain's own. Cain then ceased his laughter and growled at Abel, pointing his black lance to Abel's chest and fired. Abel flew away, letting the beam hit nothing but air. He felt his heart jump in his chest, feeling the surge of Cain's unleashed anger sail through the skies. Abel had never seen Cain this aggressive before, for Cain kept on attacking Abel, laughing and growling at alternate times.

"Hello, darling!" Cain cried out among the beams that he fired in Abel's direction. Abel kept his cool, and refused to be daunted by Cain. Once more, the blond Crusnik shot another beam extremely close to Abel's wing, and he could feel the rush of heat near his wing.

"Had enough of hugging that pathetic Methuselah? What was her name, hmm, let me think. Ah yes, Kalmia, wasn't it?" Cain asked, pleased to see the rush of colour flare in Abel's cheeks. Abel still held his tongue, not wishing to retaliate. "A name as beautiful as its owner," hummed Cain, flying dangerously close to Abel, flicking his tongue in the latter's direction.

"Why is it that I _smell_ her on you?" Cain's growl was walking the thin line between the voice of a man and an animal. "She has left an imprint too obvious for my liking," fumed Cain in Abel's ear. Abel swerved aside quickly, not wanting to hear Cain's provoking choice of words.

"That promiscuous whore," breathed Cain, knowing in utmost satisfaction that each word burned a mark in Abel's soul. Just like the time when Cain had insulted Lilith, Abel now allowed his anger to be unleashed in the dangerously thick bolts of bioelectricity that sparked bluish silver in the sky. Cain laughed at his victory, pleased that he had touched on the vulnerable part of Abel's emotions.

"What is it with you?" roared Abel at Cain. "I thought you hated the Terrans, and now you're turning to Methuselahs. Which one do you truly hate?" Abel could not stop himself from asking, his anger getting the better of him. It had been a question that long haunted him. It was an undeniable fact that Cain hated the Terrans, but his sudden change to preying on Methuselah still shocked Abel.

"I hate _both _of them, if that's what you want to know!" Cain answered loudly, his voice booming across the sky. "Pitiful, worthless imbeciles, that's what they are. Crawling on the surface of Earth with each person thinking that his or her race triumphs over the other. In fact, they're both equally weak!" Another jet hot beam of red light came towards Abel. Cain then beat his wings strongly against the wind and zoomed closer once more to Abel.

"You know very well that I hate those short-lived people, Abel. They deny their own doings, and hate the result of their revolutionary ideas. They still think that as pioneers of this dying planet, they have the right to rule other people's lives," Cain remarked, his words ringing true in Abel's soul. "I honestly don't know how that stupid woman could have sided with those idiots. Perhaps she lacked brains just as much as they did."

Just as Abel was about to calm himself down at Cain's biased judgement of the Terrans, the insults that followed in Cain's last two sentences sparked his anger once more, and this time, Abel looked as though the rage within him could never subside. He screamed in anger and aimed a bolt of bioelectricity towards Cain, who dodged it easily, chuckling as he did so. Cain then turned away from Abel and flew quickly over the clouds, leaving Aswan and Abel behind. But Abel was just as fast, and managed to reach Cain not even three seconds later.

"Why do you always have to insult her?" Abel demanded angrily. His scythe spouted bioelectric sparks as he neared Cain. The latter shut his eyes in pain as Abel's sparks stung one of his wings. "Lilith's already dead, can't you let her rest in peace?"

"No, my dear, never," Cain sweetly called back, roughly banging Abel's wings with one of his own, a petty revenge for what Abel did to him. At the shocking impact, Abel stumbled slightly, but quickly regained his balance, staring at Cain with piercing eyes. "And after all, it's the best time to talk bad about people when they're dead, isn't it? With the exception of Dietrich and you, no one possesses the ability to rise up from the dead and confront those poisonous tongued people can they?"

As a reply, Abel raised his scythe high and sparked an extremely strong bolt of bioelectricity so powerful that it lit up the morning sky with a blue light. Cain managed to avoid it just in time, surging upwards to not let his wings suffer casualties, but instead the bolt grazed against Cain's leg, and red blood burst from the cut. Cain bit his lip, and growled at Abel. Abel half-expected Cain to come surging at him with insults spewing from his mouth, but Cain chose to soar further into the sky and away from Abel. The silver-haired Crusnik narrowed his eyes and zoomed after Cain with his supersonic speed, both of them a flash of white and blue in the high skies.

When Abel looked down, all he saw were endless seas. He had no idea where he was at that moment. Was he even in Egypt still? Abel could not find an answer to his question. The choppy seas with their blue and green shade, forever changing colours, greeted him as his gaze fell down. Abel could even taste and smell the salt of the sea on his tongue and in his nostrils.

The sea was nostalgic, for those mysterious waters held many memories of the experiences he shared with the people he loved. But Abel knew that memories were not important to him now, for he had to keep a watchful eye on Cain's trail. Nevertheless, his mind always seemed to drift back to Lilith's prophesised words. Was this his final battle? What if Lilith had been wrong?

"Dreaming about who, dearest? Come now, we've got a battle to fight," came Cain's voice from below him. Abel flapped his wings downwards to level himself with Cain. Once again, they aimed their lance and scythe respectively, watching as the two powers clashed, and neither one of them were injured. Cain did not seem to cease in attacking Abel, with his insane smile seemingly permanent on his cruelly handsome face. When Abel spotted a weakening in Cain's defensive moves he narrowed in on the area where Cain did not seem to watch.

Unfortunately, Cain had planned it from the beginning, and when he saw Abel coming closer to him, he quickly repressed the grin that fought its way up to his lips. As soon as Abel was close enough, Cain lifted up his clawed hand and slashed at Abel's face viciously. Abel saw Cain moving his hand, but was not quick enough to avoid the full blow. Cain's claws met the corner of Abel's mouth and tore through the soft tissue of his lips. As the blood gushed out into his mouth and down his chin, Abel tasted his own blood and felt the surging power of the activated nanomachines through the blood that entered his body once more. Cain laughed at this and licked his ends of his claws that were soaked in Abel's blood.

"I always loved the taste of blood, Methuselah's my favourite, but yours is exceptionally delicious, love," Cain said, licking his lips to savour the taste of Crusnik blood. Abel only wiped the bleeding edge of his newly healed mouth with his sleeve, determined to stop the bleeding for Cain to not be tempted. "Oh, but Kalmia's blood was very sweet too, beautiful, just like herself," Cain murmured, winking at Abel. Abel hated it each time Cain provoked him. One by one, the people close to Abel were made Cain's target in weakening Abel's morale.

"Leave the people I love alone," Abel bit out contemptuously at Cain. In a split second, Cain had flown towards Abel and beat the latter's face with the back of his white wing. Abel felt a sudden blow to his left cheekbone, heard the crushing of the hard bone under the powerful force of Cain's wing and felt his body's equilibrium wavering. Giving a cry of anger, he unleashed his power on Cain's back, electrifying the blond Crusnik as he tried to fly away from Abel. Cain's laughter only grew louder as the rush of power ran through his body and boiled his brain.

"Oh, and we're talking about _love_ now, are we?" he ranted. Cain waved his lance like a toy in the sky, bringing the image of a bloodied angel to life in all its terrible glory. His face remained impassive as his movements rivalled the speed of light as his lance was aimed at every angle. Abel flinched when fireworks of thick red beams came into contact with the mountains they circled. At the force of Cain's psychokinetic waves, huge cracks began to appear on the large boulders on the mountains, sending the broken pieces of rocks hurtling violently down the cliff. An avalanche, Abel realised with dread. He felt an immense relief in his chest when he saw no lighted spots that indicated people's houses at the foot of the mountains.

However, that relief did not palliate his hatred towards Cain. When Abel turned around to confront Cain, his eyes widened when he saw that the space was empty. Only a tiny speck of white that seemed to be disappearing in sight was seen northwest from where he stood. Choking back a growl of rage, Abel accelerated in his speed and chased after Cain, determined to get his adversary still on one spot. At that moment, Abel wanted nothing better than to use his scythe to fire electric bolts at Cain and set his body roasting in the sky. Cain always knew the best of ways to make Abel appear vulnerable and transparent. Once Abel was close enough to reach, Cain would crush him physically and mentally with his arrow-like words.

_**Part II**_

_/**  
**_

_But you can't have everything you want when you want it_

_I will be everything you want, when you want it_

_Wait for me_

_Trust for me_

_Fall for me_

_Even when you don't know you fall for me_

_Will you fall for it? If it should come around again_

_But don't wait for me_

_And don't trust in me_

_Don't fall for me_

_Even when you know you're falling for me_

-Eclipsed by Evans Blue-

/

Once again, Abel strongly braved the harsh winds that whipped his hair around his face and wet his cheeks and eyes with the salty droplets of the sea. He knew they were no longer in Egypt, but someplace far off. They had flown too far, and Abel felt the exhaustion weighing down on his wings. But he knew he could not stop now, for he would plunge into the bottomless sea that would claim his life mercilessly.

Abel felt a tingling at the corner of his mouth, and knew that the nanomachines were promoting regeneration at the injured area that had been slashed by Cain's claw. Abel felt his body positively responding to the electric vibes that were generated from within, and felt his depleting energy slowly building up once more.

The white speck in the sky that Abel had identified as Cain now grew bigger and bigger, an indistinct sign that informed Abel of Cain's stop in his flight. With his enhanced Crusnik vision, Abel could see through the deep darkness of the night, and saw land ahead of him. Back in Aswan, it had been daylight when he and Cain had started their duel, but this foreign place was pitch black, giving Abel the impression that it was night time.

True enough, Cain had halted in his long flight. Abel could see him panting and gasping for breath, his wings beating very slowly as though to conserve his energy. However, at the sight of Abel, Cain drew himself up to his full height and beat his wings viciously in order to steer a gust of cold strong wind to slap Abel's skin. Fortunately enough, Abel had donned his Crusnik spacesuit, which helped insulate his body against the cold. Although his body constantly generated bioelectric fields, his energy was lessening, making his body feel even more chilled with each second that passed.

Cain zigzagged before wielding his lance and pointing it right in the middle of Abel's chest. Sick and tired of tolerating Cain's antics, Abel raised his scythe and blasted a full field of electricity that struck Cain squarely in the face. Cain only laughed as blood spurted out from his mouth.

"One little strike isn't going to take me down, my love!" he chanted among the erupting bouts of laughter. As more blood came out, Cain was forced to stop laughing. Spitting out his blood rudely onto the ground below them, Cain glared at Abel. "Honestly, as I told you so long ago before I killed you, things could be much simpler for both of us if you'd just say yes to me and no to those shameless harlots!" Cain ranted on with his insulting words, avoiding Abel's electric bolts casually as he talked.

"I could always put up with Lilith, for I _am_ a very tolerant person, Abel. But when matters progressed far too intimately for my liking, I had to put a stop. But when you became an- what's that word again? Ah yes, you became the_ abstemious _Father Nightroad, and you practically fawned over that blond cardinal and the saucy little redhead. And when I came to you, you- who I treasure more than this pathetic grimy planet- spurned me away, you tried to kill me! And after your little death and revival, that Lilith-look-alike was the centre of your attentions. How can you be so nice to them and so nasty to me? And I am the one who loves you!"

The final sentence visibly shook Abel, though he hardened his heart and turned Cain's own words against him. "You are not the same person I loved a long time ago! Regarding my being an AX agent, I was serving the Vatican! Caterina was my superior, and Esther was my assistant. Naturally, we became the closest of friends then, but I never took a step beyond that. Tell me, Cain, did I ever confess that I loved another? I always refused them, and you should be clever enough to know why."

As a silence fell over the two Crusniks, Abel's eyes flickered over to Cain with hurt in them. Cain looked sombre for a moment, but turned berserk the next. He launched himself at Abel and dug his claws into Abel's arm, cruelly forcing the bones together, watching on as Abel cried out in pain.

"You're the one who's insane now, Abel!" Cain narrowly missed the sharp tip of Abel's scythe scarcely an inch from his neck. "I am the same person you love, you're just making up all these ridiculous stories, you never loved me; it was _I _who loved you all the time. You don't know how hard it's been for me watching you from afar, wanting to slash the fragile necks of those people who come too close to you."

"You're obsessed with everything," Abel concluded with a frightened expression in his eyes. "You never seem to let me have peace!"

When Abel said this, Cain's eyes flashed an even brighter hue of crimson and he flew straight at Abel, his lance ready to perform a killing strike. Abel had foreseen Cain's movement, driven by his insanity and consuming rage, and he quickly sidestepped Cain and raised his own scythe of crystallised blood. With all the force he could generate, Abel knocked Cain's lance aside, and it fell through the vast heights of the sky to the ground with its impact giving away a large sound.

Abel's body then glowed with a vast amount of generated bioelectricity, which did not harm him, but instead went for Cain's defenceless body, and the blond Crusnik felt the terrifying power rush again and again through his whole body before his wings lost their flapping tempo as he fell to the ground. Seeing Cain fall at an unbelievably fast speed to the ground, Abel followed his downward journey, but Cain had already reached the floor, the sickening sound of his bones cracking due to impact with hard ground were heard in Abel's ears.

Cain took tiny gasps of air, wincing against the pain that electrified his nerves and set them on fire. Abel's bioelectric currents were still raging within him, causing the smooth grace of his movements to be hindered. When he saw the dark winged Crusnik touch the ground very softly, Cain spat a large amount of blood in Abel's direction.

"Go away, you fucking bastard! You've wasted all my bloody time with your unorthodox beliefs of what your bloody so-called 'love' is," Cain shouted out, making a vulgar sign at Abel. The silver-haired Crusnik folded his wings very carefully, watching in agony as Cain wrestled on the ground in pain. Abel even felt his blood tears trickling from the corner of his eyes. The sight that stood before him was definitely the last thing he wanted to witness in his final battle.

"Kill me, Abel!" Cain had shaken him from his thoughts. Abel saw even more blood pouring out from Cain's mouth. He had not known that his electricity could have caused Cain such pain, but he had only acted in defence of himself when Cain had soared through the sky with his lance brandished, ready to kill Abel. "Be done with it, rid me of this accursed world and its nefarious inhabitants."

Seeing Cain in such pain, Abel could feel his body acting on its own, complying with Cain's death wish. Stepping closer and closer to Cain, his scythe in midair just inches away from Cain's body, Abel breathed in the air that surrounded him. The memories of how Cain had died ran through his mind. It had been almost like this. The person he loved- _still_ loved, Abel painfully looked at Cain, wishing with all his heart that things had not turned out the way it did- had his body break upon the rocks, except now Cain was on the grassy ground with the smell of the sea nearby-

Abel paused. _The sea?_ When had they reached the seaside? Lilith's face suddenly appeared in Abel's mind, and she smiled at him knowingly. Abel shook his head disbelievingly as his eyes met the sight before him. The sun had just peeped from the valley between the distant hills, streams of narrow gold bathing the previously darkened land. And Abel heard the rush of the waves, and tasted the salt on his lips. Yes, it was the sea, he realised, as he looked down at the sandy beach from the tall cliff he and Cain were now on.

Abel saw himself on the beach, slowly waking up. He saw himself turning away from Lilith in disbelief, and heard the two raised voices from the shore.

He then looked at Cain whose eyes were now closed in the stinging sensation of pain. Was this what Lilith had prophesied? Abel had been in the very place he now stood on twice already. At that moment, it was his third time. For a moment, Cain's contorted face blurred in Abel's line of vision, and he began to see Lilith's face, her eyes sparkling with hope.

"_In the last battle… in this very place…"_ Abel could feel Lilith's touch on his arm.

"…_not be able to win… one of you bows down to the other…" _came the whispering wind.

Abel looked at Cain, and he felt his scythe shaking in his own grasp. His breath came in shallow, quick gasps. Even Cain noticed the change and narrowed his eyes at Abel. The silver-haired Crusnik felt himself vibrating violently.

"_Both of you… the final decision… true purpose of your life and Cain's…" _Abel's scythe dropped from his grasp as he sunk to the floor in defeat. His eyes stung with tears, and he slowly felt his own nanomachines deactivating by themselves. However, Abel's scythe remained behind.

"What is my life's true purpose?" Abel whispered to himself. He looked at Cain, and repeated the same question. _"What is my life's true purpose?"_

Cain only could look at Abel, not fully comprehending the words his opponent was saying. Abel felt the sea breeze rustle his hair, and his tears rolled down to reach his mouth, the salty tang mingling with the natural saltiness of the wind from the sea. He could not even see clearly at that moment, for his tears obscured his vision. But Abel's hand made its way to his scythe and he picked it up. Cain stilled, bracing himself for the final blow, and closed his eyes in his last requiem.

But the blow never came. Instead, Cain found himself in the oddest of positions. Abel had knelt down before him, and handed out his scythe to Cain. The blond gasped, not knowing what had happened around him. Even his usual rage never seemed to emerge from within him.

"Cain," Abel called in the soft voice that seemed to echo from the shadows of the past long gone. Immersed in the familiar fragrance of wispy memories, Cain could not resist looking at Abel with his silken silver hair blowing in the wind.

Abel nudged his scythe at Cain, as though asking Cain to take it. Cain moved away, fearing that the sharp end would touch his skin and electrocute him again, but Abel shook his head. "No, take it," said he. Cain stared at Abel for a long time before he touched the scythe. He could not generate bioelectricity, but the scythe was sharp enough to deliver a killing blow to Abel. Cain stood up, and felt like laughing, thinking that the idea was simply ludicrous. Abel would never-

"Cain, please _kill me_."

Cain's breath halted in his throat. It could not be for it was simply impossible. Where had the spirit that drove Abel's crusade vanished to? What happened to Abel? Cain was sure that Hell had frozen down below them. Even though Cain knew that all he wanted to do at that very moment was to drive the scythe deep into Abel and watch in satisfaction as Abel crumpled to the ground and lie in his own pool of blood, but for once, he could not do what his impulsive mind told him to.

"This is my final decision. I wish to die by your hand," said Abel solemnly. Cain felt the insane laughter erupting from his throat. Abel only watched as Cain threw back his golden bangs and gave a howl of amusement.

"Is it? After all you've done, Abel, you just want me to kill you like that?" Cain asked. "Don't play with me, this isn't the first time I'm killing you."

Cain was so surprised when Abel nodded serenely at him and smiled. Abel _smiled_ through his flowing tears.

"Cain, I finally knew the true purpose of my life," Abel spoke. Cain, who had already raised his scythe to strike, now lowered it unconsciously at Abel's voice. Abel laughed softly.

"_I live for you."_

Cain could not breathe. The scythe now fell to the ground, as it did with Abel a few moments ago. Outside, Cain was as still and cold as stone. But within him, a secret battle raged.

"And I've always loved you," Abel continued, still smiling and crying at the same time. "Even when you're insane, I could never stop, and I _still _love you. You are the true purpose I take in air into my lungs. You are my raison d'etre, the reason I exist for. Because I know that deep down, inside the body of that beautiful person standing before me, you are the same person I fell in love with at first sight when I was first brought to meet him on the Ark.

"I fell in love with him when I laid my eyes on him, the young boy with the most beautiful golden hair I've ever seen, whose eyes reflected mine like a mirror. I loved that young boy who smiled at me and who knew exactly how to make me laugh and smile when my tears flowed.

"But I am not the only the one who loves you, Cain. Lilith does too. I know you hate her with a burning passion, but she has never hated you. When I died, I met her. And she told me that she forgave you, and that it was not your fault that she died, nor anyone else's. Seth loves you too. If she didn't, then why did she cry for so long when you died in my arms on the mountains? Why did she claim that your death was her fault? Why was she was the one who held the needle during your infusion?"

No words came out from Cain's mouth. He found that his own tongue and mouth were unwilling to move during the time when Abel spoke. It was as though he had fallen under an enchantment. But it was simply Abel, yes, the beautiful Abel in his tears and smiles.

"Do you remember this place, Cain?" Abel asked him, looking at the sea for a moment before gazing at Cain once more. "This was the place where we made our vows of love to each other. We swore to love one another for eternity. And I have not broken my vow, Cain. I choose to die, because my love will not allow me to kill you. My love will be only for you, and my death is my ultimate sacrifice for you."

Abel then bowed his head, awaiting the blow. But Cain was now shaking even more vigorously then Abel had been moments ago. He felt sobs racking from his throat, and tears started to pour from his eyes. As his eyes grazed over the serene panorama, with the bluish green waves crashing upon the yellow beach, and the bright sun emerging from behind the white clouds to reveal a sky as blue as Abel's eyes, Cain felt the memory imprints that had been pushed far to the back of his mind, now replay before his eyes as clear as the moon in a dark sky.

He remembered the softness of Abel's hair as he tangled his fingers in the silver strands, and could still see the sad expression on Abel's face when Cain had doubted his love. _I'm so sorry,_ Cain wanted to say. But he knew that that day would never come back. And when he looked at the silver head of Abel, with his long silver bangs covering his beautiful face, Cain felt such an overwhelming grief sweep over him that he wrung his own head in agony.

"What have I done?" he asked shakily. Abel looked up in confusion, and was horrified to see Cain weeping with so much remorse that his unstable body could have fallen at any minute.

"Cain?" Abel asked uncertainly, getting up to his feet, just in case Cain fell forwards. Abel reached out a hand to Cain, but the latter brushed it away.

"No, Abel, no!" Cain cried out. He stepped a few paces away from Abel, and when his face shone in the sunlight, Abel's breath was caught in his throat. There was no more dangerous sign of insanity, but only the same expression that Cain had worn moments before his death. Cain then gave a small smile, as he did on that fateful day. Abel rushed forward immediately, but Cain sealed his advances by creating a barrier using his psychokinetic powers.

"Abel," Cain called out among Abel's shouts to Cain to lower the barrier. _"Forgive me." _Abel looked at Cain with the pained expression in his blue eyes, and shook his head again and again as though to discourage Cain from what he was carrying out. Lilith's voice now came into Cain's mind. Cain saw her falling forwards from his killing strike, grasping his shoulders and pulling him close to whisper the words that changed Cain's world ultimately.

Cain closed his eyes, letting his memory swirl in the darkness, blacking himself off from Abel as he mouthed the words.

"_Nanomachines: Crusnik 01__ 80% limit diffusion. Approved."_

At once, Cain felt a rush of fluid occur within his body. He felt the blood rise up to his nose and mouth, and he even felt a strange sensation at his ears. Then suddenly, blood poured out from the many entries. Cain gurgled as the shocking volume of purple-tinged blood rose from his throat and made its way up his mouth cavity and exited via his mouth. Cain wavered for a moment, and he felt his own power fading away. As soon as the barrier collapsed, Abel rushed forwards to catch Cain before he toppled and embraced Cain close, not caring if his spacesuit was dirty from the sinister looking liquid that oozed from Cain's nose and mouth. Abel's tears ran out all the more from his own eyes as he held onto Cain tightly.

"Cain, please! Don't die yet, Cain, no please…" Abel begged, and looked up at the sky. "Why is this happening to us, Lilith? _I_ was the one who had to die, not him!" Abel sobbed as Cain wretched up even more liquid. Abel's face contorted more and more each time Cain cried out in agony from the liquid that he vomited out. Abel held Cain close to him, trying his best to offer all the strength he could, and faintly realising that his own strength was seeping off as well. It seemed like a merciless eternity before the terrible racking had ceased from Cain's body as Cain collapsed on Abel's shoulder limply.

Abel was about to cry out in anguish, thinking that Cain had died. But then, as his arms were around Cain's frame, he felt the faint, yet steady beating of Cain's heart against his chest, and Abel almost cried with relief. However, the last thing he saw was the pale face of Cain as Abel pulled him away to assess him, and then Abel felt his own body collapsing to the floor, with Cain's head on his chest, his cold body against Abel.

_I know I loved you then_

_I know I'd love you now_

_I know I'll love you then_

_I know I love you now_


	34. Chapter 34: Epilogue

Disclaimer: Nothing of Trinity Blood belongs to me. Only an overreactive imagination is my own.

Author's Note: I have been VERY VERY VERY bad, I'm so sorry to all my lovely readers out there. The thing is university robbed me of all my spare time and turned me into a despondent individual who salvages any of her free time and fills it with the very being of laziness. There was always this one chapter that I felt I couldn't get right. Hopefully, years (literally!) would have given me appropriate inspiration to finish off this little story. Honestly, I'm ecstatic that this story is finally done. Trinity Blood is one of the most amazing series out there, futuristic, but not entirely off-the-charts. And although I know that I am in part responsible for most of this fabrication of a romantic bond between Cain and Abel, it would be inconceivable not to notice how closely these two individuals are drawn together, and the beauty that depicts the cruelty of their fate. But I have a suspicion - the end's a bit sappy, I think, I don't know, maybe, oh dear.. Thank you for all the support!

* * *

**Epilogue**

信じて愛する人私の中で君は生きる  
だからこれから先もずっと  
サヨナラなんて言わない

_Trust me my love_

_You live within me_

_So I'll never say goodbye to you_

_- _Heaven by _Ayumi Hamasaki -_

* * *

**_Marseilles, the New Human Empire_**

Abel woke up, the melody of waves crashing upon the beach ringing in his ears. He tried to get up, but he felt that his body was so weak, as though it refused to obey his mental command. Abel stilled for a moment, and tried to open his eyes slowly. He feared that the sunlight would burst into his eyes, harshly demanding his attention, tearing him away from the dark, comforting realm of sleep. But no bright rays came into his eyes, only a soft blue light. For some reason, this set Abel at peace, and he found himself lifting his eyelids more leisurely, welcoming the calming hue of blue. When he could make out the blurred shapes, Abel found out that he had been staring at the gauzy blue material of a curtain, which prevented the sunlight from bursting into the room. His heart skipped a beat. When had he gotten himself into a room? Where was-

Abel turned about on his bed quickly, and then when he looked to his right, he fell back against the pillows in relief. Cain was right there beside him. Abel now lay on his right shoulder, looking at Cain. His blond hair flowed over his long shoulders, and his face was pale. Abel then touched the vein at his neck, and was relieved to find a pulse beating slow and steady. Looking at the golden bangs that fell over his smooth forehead, Abel was sorely tempted to brush them away and stroke the prominent cheekbone. But he withdrew his finger, wanting Cain to have an undisturbed sleep. Abel looked down at himself, and realised that he was still donned in his spacesuit, now purely white and unstained from the vicious battle that took place, when, Abel could not tell. Cain too was in his spacesuit, looking so tranquil and at ease when asleep. Abel still had many questions in his head, but he was too tired to seek their answers. _In time I'll find them_, he told himself.

When Abel had had enough of staring up at the simple wooden ceiling above him, he mustered his strength and stepped out of bed slowly, one leg at a time. As he stood on two legs, he felt his balance wavering, and quickly reached out for the nearest object to hold his body weight up. His eyes scanned the room they were in. It was a simple room with wooden walls and ceiling, unadorned save for the bed for two which had an earth colour for the sheets, and the striking blue of the curtain. Apparently, the person who had found the both of them was one of simplicity and modest living. Abel walked out the door, his eyes lingering on Cain for a moment, but feeling the strange calm that promised him and Cain assured safety, Abel took his step out. He looked around the house, which was pretty much styled as their bedroom, with wooden furniture all around. He finally opened the right door that led outside, and a beautiful sight greeted Abel. It was the same sight he had fallen in love with many centuries ago. Sparse grass and flowers growing on the rocky land, which then led to a jutting out plateau that overlooked the sea and its miraculous beauty.

"Goodness me, you're awake already!" a warm voice rang. Abel looked around for the owner, and found a young girl with light brown curls for her hair and amber eyes waving at him with a friendly smile. Abel smiled at her, and came to the area where she was sitting. She appeared to be sewing on a blue material, and when Abel came closer; he saw the detailed finery of her embroidery. A golden-eyed bird with silver feathers spread its wings as though a strong wind was blowing on it. Abel gaped in amazement, wondering how could anyone create such an exemplary work of art. The girl laughed at Abel's open mouth.

"I've been doing this for years, ever since my Maman died," she said it casually, as though she had gotten so used to the fact that it caused no bother to her anymore. Abel felt himself saddened, but the girl brightened up quickly as soon as she saw a flicker of emotion in his eyes. "But let's not worry about that; today's just so lovely! I'm Marianne by the way," she introduced with a wide smile and held out her hand to Abel, who took it graciously.

"Abel." He smiled at the young girl. She was a Terran, and was probably aged around twelve. She still had baby fat on her rosy cheeks, and for some reason, this made Abel smile once more, amused at her childlike allure. Marianne gave a toothy smile at Abel.

"I awoke a few days ago at this sound of two people quarrelling, and then sometimes it'd be silent, then they'd start to talk again. Was it you and your golden haired friend?" she asked Abel. He gave a nervous laugh and shyly admitted. Marianne only laughed.

"What were the both of you fighting about?_ Frère_ and I found the both of you in a heap of black and white feathers, most unusual. And there was some icky purplish fluid all over; we just dragged you out of the mess. But I'm glad the both of you reconciled in the end, judging from the position we found you in, it was rather sweet." She winked at Abel, who could not resist blushing. But his mind processed the information she had said. Could it be possible that Cain's nanomachines-

"Where do you both live?" Marianne cut off his string of thoughts. "_Frère_ and I could send you back," she suggested. Abel took note of her mentioning her older brother.

"Oh, we are travellers," he said truthfully. "We come from quite far away, and it's been most impolite to have intruded upon your house, I apologise for the inconvenience," Abel bowed his head respectfully. Marianne only laughed behind her hand.

"You're certainly highbred,_ Monsieur_ Abel, judging from the way you speak," she remarked, but Abel shook his head. Marianne tilted her head in confusion at this.

"No, we're just normal people," he said dismissively, but Marianne was still unconvinced. She furrowed her brow at Abel and echoed his words with an incredulous tone.

"_Normal people_."

She laughed at this, but stopped herself just in time before she allowed her mind to fire more questions at her guest. She took Abel by the hand and led him back into the house. "I've got some breakfast ready if you'd like to eat."

Abel politely declined her invitation. "It's all right, Mademoiselle Marianne. I would like to watch over him, just in case he wakes up," said Abel, vaguely indicating Cain. Once more, Marianne smiled knowingly and skipped out of the house.

"Well, I'll be off now. I've got to go to the market to sell some of my pieces," she said, holding up a heap of fabrics dotted with the fine lines of embroidery threads. Abel frowned, not understanding. "Oh, I do embroidery for a living, and Gerard's gone off to the forest. He's a woodcutter, mind you, so if you see a person with an axe on his shoulder, he's _not_ going to kill you. And may I call you Abel only?" she asked. "You don't seem _that _old," she added quirkily.

Abel laughed at her words. It had been a long time since someone joked with him. He smiled at her and nodded. Marianne was about to head out when she paused in her tracks and looked over her shoulder to Abel. "I go by the name Anne, just so you know. I hope you don't mind, but may I ask you who your blond friend is?"

"His name is Cain, a very dear friend," answered Abel. Marianne gave a slight giggle before setting off for the market, her brown curls flying behind her.

"I'll see you and Monsieur Cain soon!" she called out. Abel was about to head back to the house when a thought crossed his mind. He ran after Marianne, and shouted out to her.

"Wait!" Abel cried, trying his hardest not to use his supersonic speed in a Terran neighbourhood. "Anne, I know we're in France, but may I ask where we are?"

Marianne turned around and gave a gentlemanly bow. "Welcome to Marseilles, Abel! Where have you been all this time? Oh, never mind, I'm running late, _au revoir_!" she cried, before running at top speed once more. Abel stood frozen in his tracks with his eyes wide open. His mouth still had not shut, even though Marianne was long gone. He stood in the middle of the grassland, his eyes fixed on something one could not see.

"We flew all the way to _Marseilles_?"

* * *

Cain felt the strange roaring sensation in his ears slowly subside, leaving behind a faint sound like a music score. The gentle light finally illuminated the darkness in behind his eyes. After what seemed an eternity, he felt life seep into him once more. Cain opened his eyes, and revelled in the welcome warmth and generous sunlight. He felt the corners of his lips curl upwards in a smile. He was alive once more, and his body now responded to his will. Cain looked around the decent room he was placed in and stroked the soft surface of the bed happily. How good it felt to feel the life that had long been denied to him. Then, the previous memories came rushing back to him.

_"…my raison d'etre…"_

"Abel," Cain spoke softly. Where was the one person he so longed to see? As he moved his hand upwards, trying to lift himself off the bed to search for Abel, it hit something hard. A groan resounded from his left, and Cain found his eyes fixed on the head of long silver waves pooling around the bed like a gleaming halo.

Abel woke up sluggishly, wincing as a hard object knocked into his head. He had fallen asleep by Cain's bedside, for he had not eaten ever since he had awakened. Gerard and Marianne had tried their best to feed him, and Marianne even ran after him with a bowl in her hand, chasing him when he refused to give in to their wishes. Abel had not touched a single morsel of food, even though he felt his stomach growling menacingly when his eyes strayed to the plate of food that Marianne had laid out on the table; an image of temptation. But Abel had not given in. Loyally, he had stayed by Cain's side, occasionally stroking Cain's hair, kissing Cain's forehead, and whispering gentle words of prayer for Cain to open his sky blue eyes to meet Abel's identical ones. At times, he was so tired that he fell asleep on the chair, his head resting on his arms placed on the bed, but otherwise, he was always watching over Cain. Then-

"Abel," came a voice he knew so well. Abel lifted his head and stared into the clear eyes that could make the sky darken with envy. It was _Cain_. But the trace of insanity was no longer on his face; instead his face bore the same earnest truthful expression that had drawn Abel to Cain when they first met. Abel reached out his hand very slowly, as though fearing that Cain would vanish at the mere touch of Abel's hand on his cheek. Cain saw the approaching hand and reached his own hand out for it and caressed his beloved's fingers. Abel could not resist drawing closer to Cain, his eyes sparkling with joy it had not felt for centuries.

"Cain, is it really you?" he asked hesitantly. A smile lit up in Cain's face and he nodded in assent. Abel laughed very softly. "I- I don't believe it. I thought you were gone," said he while stroking Cain's blond bangs that framed his face. Cain looked down for a moment, before meeting Abel's gaze. A pained expression showed in Cain's face, and it broke Abel's heart. He held onto the hand that rested on his cheek, squeezing it for a moment.

"Abel, I have seen what I have done," he whispered. "I saw _her_, I saw Lilith as she died. I killed her, Abel. Just like I killed _you_. I just- killed the both of you. And so many others." Cain's face beheld the unspoken horrors, whereas Abel had sat by Cain's side and drew Cain close to him in an embrace.

"It's not your fault, Cain," Abel said soothingly, but Cain still felt the cold hands on his chest. "I'm sure you-"

"Abel, I saw _everything_." Cain's serious tone resounded in the room. He slowly eased himself away from Abel's comforting embrace, and held Abel's hand tightly. "I cannot tell you how, but when I was insane, I was still sane within. It does not make sense, I know, but I was still inside me. I saw to my horror as my own hand moved to cover Lilith's mouth to kill her. I saw you dead on the floor, dead by my own doing. And I killed those people. I couldn't stop myself; it was as though I was caught in a dream. I was powerless to move, to command, to prevent. I was like a puppet; doing the things my mind never dared to dwell on.

"And the worst part was that I could not kill myself. How can you kill your own soul? And so I watched, and I cried. I could not even shut out all that happened. When I shut my eyes, I still saw their torn bodies. When I shut my ears, I still heard their screams. My hands were soiled in their blood. And on the outside, I _smiled_."

Abel's hand went to his mouth, covering it as he heard the exposing of the horrors that had tormented Cain. A long silence followed Cain's words, and Abel saw tears in the eyes of the man opposite him. Cain wiped away his tears quickly and bit his lip as he gazed at Abel's miraculous beauty, the absolute purity of his soul shining through his face.

"And each time I saw you, I wanted to die. I loved you so much, and all I wanted to do was to hold on to you tightly. But I kept saying the things that I would die before I even can pronounce the words. They were terrible things, Abel forgive me. It is true that I cannot stand seeing you in another person's arms, but my doings were twisted from my emotions. I wanted to _kill_ those people, Abel. My love for you became an obsession. I just wanted you, whether or not you came to me willingly, or I had to rip you apart to own you. And every time when you looked at me with that expression of shock and sorrow, I wanted to cry, but I could not bring myself to do so."

At this point, Cain's tears rolled down his cheeks freely, and Abel had thrown his arms around Cain's neck and wept on his shoulder.

"Cain, it's over. Please don't cry, I'm here with you now, and for always I'll be by your side," Abel vowed, his voice breaking as his own emotions started to tear the uniformity of the assurance in his tone as he spoke to Cain. Tears rolled down from Cain's face and he kissed the smooth surface of Abel's neck, thankful that the one person he had always devoted his love to also felt the same way towards him too. Cain finally disengaged himself from Abel's warm arms and looked into his blue eyes.

"Abel, I want to see her," he told his beloved. Abel's eyes narrowed for a moment and the shadow of doubt flickered across his face. But he quickly smiled warmly at Cain and touched his cheek, trying to comfort the sorrowful person before him.

"Are you sure you're ready?" Abel asked in a tone that did not have a single ounce of doubt laced between the words of his soft voice. Cain smiled up at Abel confidently. He nodded automatically, trying to put on a brave face, but Abel saw through his bravado. Cain was still shaken, and Abel knew that if he had been presented a choice, Cain would have chosen the way that would take him farther away from Lilith and the other Crusniks to erase the painful memories within him. But Cain was taking his stand strongly, and Abel found himself embracing Cain once more, savouring the feeling he never thought he would experience any longer.

Abel pulled away from Cain and laced his fingers with the latter's own. He patted Cain's hand surely and gave a bright smile. "Before we leave, there are two lovely people you must meet…"

* * *

Cain went out of the house, looking back at the neat, solid structure with its simple architecture. How quaint it was, spelling the single word longed for almost every homemaker in the world, _peace_. Cain felt his heart well up in sadness, he knew his place did not belong in a serene future. He had done so much harm, he had so much blood weighing his very steps down. He could still see nameless faces in his dreams. If Cain had had his way, he would have taken his very life, and vanquish the world of his cursed existence. He did not know which face he would put on when confronted with his sins that demanded an eternal penitence and everlasting atonement. No amount of tears would pay for the deaths he had committed. Yes, Cain would have plunged his own powers to pulverize his own body, and obliterate his form to nothingness. But then, a black-winged angel had extended a shining hand towards him, a smile on his handsome features, silver strands blowing in the playful wind.

Cain's eyes strayed to Abel, who was pressing a brown leather pouch into Gerard's open palm. Gerard frowned at Abel for a moment before prying open the mouth of the pouch to peer inside. Gerard's eyes immediately widened until they were as wide as dinner plates, and he quickly pushed back the pouch which contained precious jewels into Abel's hand. Abel laughed at him easily and gently put the pouch back into Gerard's hand. Cain found himself smiling when he heard Abel laughing. It was such a clear, musical sound, which rang with the honesty within Abel's pure soul.

"Monsieur Cain!" a tiny voice rang out. Cain felt his robes being tugged insistently by a person who barely came up to the same level as his elbow. When he looked down, his eyes met the bright green of Marianne's. Cain could not resist smiling back at her cheeky face. Marianne tugged on his robes once more.

"Monsieur Cain, are you and Abel really leaving?" she asked, her eyes big in her heart-shaped face. Cain looked down for a moment in sadness and patted Marianne's head gently. He had grown to adore the childish naivety of Marianne, for she always seemed to mirror Seth within her bubbly personality.

"But, why? I want Abel and you to stay…" her voice trailed off sadly as she looked out to the sea, letting the salty breeze ruffle her brown curls. Then, she cheered up quickly and smiled up at Cain once more. "If Monsieur Cain wants to bring Abel with him, then Monsieur must promise me something."

Cain raised his eyebrow at Marianne, wondering what the little imp would have in store for him. Marianne only gazed at him innocently. "It's a very simple promise, Monsieur," she said reassuringly. Cain then crouched down low so that his eyes bore straight into Marianne's. His gaze wondered over her freckled cheeks, and the tiny gap in between her front teeth. Marianne drew in a breath and began to speak. "Monsieur Cain must promise me that he will always take care of Abel, no matter what happens," said she. As Cain was about to open his mouth and agree to it, Marianne spoke again. "Monsieur is very lucky to have Abel!" Marianne said indignantly. "Because Abel loves you so much, he refused to eat all the time you were asleep. He stayed by your bedside, watching you. I know that when a person looks at another in that way Abel looked at you, it means that the person loves him very much. And I am so sad to see Abel. Sometimes, I'd see him crying."

Cain stared strangely at the young girl, wondering how she had surmised it all for herself. "Does my lovely Mademoiselle Anne know that I love Abel very much?" Cain asked her. Marianne nodded knowingly, but she reached out her tiny little hand to take Cain's.

"And Abel loves Monsieur Cain very much too, I'm sure of that. If you love a person, being by his side always is not enough," she spoke slowly, as Cain nodded at the clarity of her words for such a young girl. Then, she skipped and laughed heartily, clapping a hand over her chest. "But Anne does not know everything. Therefore, I'll believe that you will keep to your promise, and I won't pester Monsieur anymore."

With that, she ran off to stand by her brother's side and gawked at the jewels held in his grasp. Abel had walked towards Cain, smiling and looking back to see the antics of the two siblings. Gerard and Marianne finally tore their eyes away from the jewels and waved at Abel and Cain who were taking small steps away from their house. Abel laughed at Marianne jumping around Gerard, much to her brother's embarrassment. But Gerard only patted his sister's head affectionately and held her close. Abel prayed silently for the good life of the two orphans. Then, he slipped his hand into Cain's and gave an affectionate squeeze.

"I gave them those jewels from Kalmia," Abel was saying, and he ran his free hand through his silken silver. Cain's eyes trailed the movement, his free hand itching to do the same to Abel's, but he resisted and listened to Abel's words. "She gave me too much jewels, enough for me to deal as a jeweller. I just couldn't keep them, and I don't want bandits robbing us on our way to Rome."

Cain paused in his tracks briefly and looked at Abel in confusion. "How can bandits rob us? We're not going to be encountering anyone on our flight, are we?" Cain winked at Abel. However, he received a resolute shake of Abel's regal head at his question. Abel touched Cain's shoulder and held it firmly.

"Cain, we're_ not_ flying." The set of Abel's mouth was firm and unmoving. But Cain could still afford to give a glare back at Abel.

"Why not?" he asked the silver-haired Crusnik. "It would save us much more time!" he reasoned out, but only received a soft hand from Abel on his cheek. Abel stroked the smooth surface slowly and shook his head once more. Cain frowned at Abel, but he did not move. He had longed for many years to feel the warm contact, and did not attempt to pry himself away from it.

"Cain," Abel spoke slowly. "You're not fully well yet. Look at you, you're too pale," Abel said, worry showing in his face as his eyes trailed the milky complexion of Cain's face. It had not always been that way, he recalled. Cain had no colour in his cheeks. Much to Abel's surprise, Cain only laughed at this.

"You're just as pale as I am!" he told Abel laughingly. A sigh came from Abel, and he looked out at the sea.

"I've_ always_ been pale," Abel defended himself. Cain could not resist nodding at this. With his pale complexion and silver hair, Abel had looked anything but normal and insignificant. Cain pondered whether the true reason behind him wearing glasses and tying up his hair was to hide his ethereal visage from the rest of the world. "But you're in no condition to endure the long flight with me, and that's final," said Abel stubbornly. He reached out into his pockets and took a few jewels out. They glimmered in a rainbow of colours before Cain's eyes. The blond smiled at Abel, knowing that the jewels he had would sustain them a journey even longer than their own journey to Rome. He looked back watching as the house of Gerard and Marianne slowly disappeared from their view with each long stride they took. Abel brought Cain close, and Cain was more than delighted to find himself pulled into a warm kiss. He slipped his arms around Abel's neck and drew him even closer, liking the way when their smooth skin brushed each other.

**_The Vatican, Vatican City, Rome_**

Abel stood before the cathedral, and his eyes strayed to the gigantic cross that hung suspended in the air. It had been night when he and Cain reached Rome, after months of travelling together. Abel felt as though time had flown by hurriedly, leaving him and Cain breathless of air from the rapid progress of events. He felt Cain's warm breath on his shoulder, and heard the faint sighing sound coming from Cain. Abel held onto the hand that was intertwined with his comfortingly. Cain drew in breath by breath, and gave a tiny sigh, the sorrowful sound echoing in the night air. His fingers, which were laced with Abel's, trembled slightly as he looked upon the large building.

"I know why you chose to stay in this place," Cain found himself saying. Abel looked at him, an inquiry painted upon his perfect features. Cain tried very hard to smile, though he found himself shaking violently instead. Just as Abel was about to reach for him, Cain laughed disarmingly. "Nothing, it's just the chill of the night air," he said, fingering his spacesuit vaguely. Abel smiled at him, though an uncertainty plagued his mind. Had he been wrong to bring Cain to the Vatican? But it had been Cain's wish to gaze upon Lilith for one last time. Could he keep his emotions in check?

"Cain," Abel started. "If you-"

"There's a warm, certain sense of security," Cain mouthed, cutting off Abel's previous words and amending his lapse of silence previously. "And there's pure love in this place," Cain mused, looking out at St. Peter's Square. It truly was beautiful, shining in its solitude of elegant simplicity. The statues were beautiful and pale, their stone features illuminated in the moonlight. Cain was once more reminded of Abel's beauty. He touched a marble slab, liking the cold that swam through his fingers and reached his brain. Abel followed slowly from behind Cain, his features torn between showing worry for Cain or feeling happy that he felt as though he was home at last. It had been a very long time since his eyes fell upon the stunning splendour of Rome's ultimate masterpiece.

Not saying a word, he led Cain to Lilith's crypt, hearing Cain's delighted expressions as he beheld the masterful artwork of Sistine Chapel, and the long chandeliers that burned themselves out on candlelight. Abel led Cain deeper and deeper into the church, turning into many corners and striding quickly across shadowy corridors. At times, Cain gripped onto Abel's hand tightly when he found his heart thundering in his chest when he felt Lilith's presence growing more and more obvious. Was he prepared to face the first person he had killed? Was he prepared to gaze upon her frozen beauty? Was he prepared not to cry?

Abel halted before a solid door made of strong dark wood. The engravings on it were unique, very similarly sharing the same pattern on their Crusnik spacesuits. Immediately, Cain knew that Abel had carved it into the wood. Abel drew in a breath before pushing the door open, and Cain closed his eyes momentarily before letting them open to see the view before him.

It was like a painting. The crypt was dark, large and airy, as though he stood in a cathedral long forgotten through the mists of time. The ceiling was high and endless, and only a tiny opening revealed a ray of light that shone directly upon the craft that stood upon a raised plateau. Cain felt his breath being knocked out of him when the patterns of the craft bore vivid memories into him. He had been so familiar with that pattern. It was the same design that was emblazoned upon the spacecrafts that transported the Crusniks from the Ark to Earth and back again. Abel stood before the craft, a breathtaking effigy of silver. Illuminated only by the light from the ceiling's opening, he stood like a biblical figure with his long silver hair pouring over his shoulders and back, his slim body garbed by the white spacesuit. Abel gazed upon the craft and bowed down respectfully as he would to a monarch. Cain heard him gently singing a prayer in a tongue that had long been forgotten by men. It was the same language they had used when the four of them had been on the Ark. Then, Abel stepped away carefully and made his way down the raised plateau and came to Cain's side. Up until that moment, Cain had not taken a single step inside the crypt. But when Abel smiled at him reassuringly, he felt his feet moving on his own accord. His heart beat faster in his chest as though it wanted to burst out of his thoracic cavity. Finally, Cain stood before the craft.

Long, red tresses flowing over pale shoulders, eyes gently closed in the eternal slumber of death, and a face bearing the look of peace that seemed to serenade the dark hall greeted him. Cain felt his lungs expiring themselves of air. Abel looked at Cain, whose face looked as though he was about to hyperventilate any moment. But Cain stood firm and gently went down on his knees before the craft. Abel watched as he pressed the button to open the transparent cover of the craft. The mild scent of Lilith's comforting fragrance embraced their senses in a peaceful manner. Cain remembered the fragrance, for he had buried his head in Lilith's robes many times when he had been a young boy upon the Ark before he met Abel. And now, the one woman he loved lay before him, silent in her deathlike composure. Abel touched Cain's shoulder.

"It's all right, Abel," Cain said in response. "You can go, I'll be fine. I- I just need some time alone," he told Abel. But Abel did not remove his hand from Cain's shoulder. Instead, Cain felt Abel dropping a gentle kiss atop his head before taking his leave. Part of Cain wanted to prostrate before Lilith's body and mourn, while another part just wanted to rush with Abel and pretend as though he had never been inside the dark crypt hidden within the grottoes of the Vatican. Seeing his beloved acting in a manner that clearly portrayed the excruciating pain within him, Abel slowly made his way for the exit and stole a last look at Cain before closing the door behind him. Once the door closed, a tear rolled down Cain's cheek. He looked up into the tiny hole in the ceiling from where the light streamed him, and let the clear whiteness illuminate his sorrowful features.

"I'm sorry, Abel," he whispered to the nothingness. "I fear that I cannot keep the promise I made to you," Cain said sadly. More tears started to stream from his eyes as he looked upon the beautiful figure that lay before him. His thoughts were catapulted back to the time when he had been young, and it had been just Lilith and him. He remembered how much he had hated the painful infusions that he was forced to endure, and each time the syringe pierced his skin, he would cry out for Lilith. And she would come and enfold him, letting her warmth soothe his reckless anxiety. And Lilith had given him Abel. And she had given him to Abel. Somehow, in some indescribable way, she had, Cain realised. She did everything for the happiness of the people she loved. Cain felt his cheeks growing even wetter with the increasing amount of tears that issued from the corners of his eyes. Finally, he felt his chest racking with sobs that came deep from within. Cain reached out his hand for Lilith's, and felt the strange tinge of coldness that he knew would never be replaced by warmth. He kissed the soft, cold hand and held it close to his face, letting his tears wet the fingers and palm.

"Lilith, please forgive me," Cain whispered shakily. "I never meant to do it, you know I didn't. _I loved you_, I really did. Oh, Lilith, I'm so sorry." He bowed down his head to touch the skin of his brow to Lilith's hand. Cain knew that it was simply impossible for him to leave Lilith's side, just as Abel had found it so. Cain finally understood the overwhelming grief that had claimed Abel and made him weep for nine centuries, for now Cain too felt the sharp pain pierce his heart, just as Abel had experienced.

_"You know I would not have allowed you to come here if I had known you would be like this,"_ a voice resounded. Cain felt himself grappling for his wits, wondering if the grief that consumed him now triggered his insanity once more. He turned around to see for himself the source of the voice so familiar to him stood. Cain felt himself backing against the crypt and pointed his finger disbelievingly at the figure. It was her. He looked back at the crypt, and true enough, she was still there. But then-

_"You promised Abel you wouldn't cry. Why break the promise to the one you love?"_ Lilith spoke once more. Now, as she stepped into the light and came closer to Cain and the crypt, Cain realised that he could see right through her. Lilith's brown eyes flickered over to her dead body that lay within the crypt and she smiled at Cain slightly. _"I have appeared to two people in this state. The first was Abel, to tell him of the future he would encounter in order for the prevention of mistakes with drastic measures,"_ she told Cain, who nodded at this, recalling Abel's story to him while they were still in Marseilles. _"And now I appear before you,"_ she said, coming closer to him as he held onto the crypt with white fingers.

_"Do you know why I've come, Cain? You are on the brink of becoming what Abel had been when my body was brought down to Earth. If I do not tell you what you should know, you will throw away the strong love you and Abel share, and instead choose to weep by my side for all eternity. I know this. Do not doubt me. I tried to appear to Abel when he wept, but his grief was so great, he could not see me. And I have to tell you now before it's too late."_

Lilith knelt down and touched Cain with a translucent hand. Much to Cain's surprise, he could feel the warmth seeping from her hand onto his cheek. He raised a hand and touched her arm, amazed that he felt what he would feel when touching a live person. Lilith smiled at him. _"Cain, I loved you from the moment you opened your eyes until the very moment you closed mine,"_ Lilith whispered. _"How can I not forgive you? When we were still living on the Ark, each time you and Abel exchanged glances, I was worried because I knew the events that would unfold itself, that would cause Abel and yourself such excruciating pain that you'd waver very closely to sacrificing your own life to rid yourselves of that pain. I tried to thwart fate, trying to convince Abel not to infuse you, but then he loved you too much. He was unmoving in his decision. And I accepted it, and the way my life would soon come to a close. Cain, you are so dear to me, just as Abel is. You, Abel and Seth are the most important people in my life. I would do anything for your happiness. Therefore, please fulfil this last wish of mine."_ Lilith looked up to the light source, basking in the light that illuminated her clear skin. She gave a laugh that sounded like the tingling of crystal.

_"I've said the same thing to Abel, and he has heeded my word. I hope you shall heed me this time too."_ Lilith touched Cain's shoulders comfortingly and stared straight into his eyes._ "Forgive yourself, and I shall always be with you as well as Abel and Seth. Let me go in peace. My soul is in unrest because you and Abel are tormented with the guilt that consumes your soul. And my death is the cause of this, and because of your sorrow, I am unable to be emancipated from my current state. Let me be serenaded by infinity of peace. _Please let yourself be forgiven_."_

At hearing Lilith's words, Cain drew her close in an embrace and cried on her shoulder. Her wish seemed so easy to comply, yet Cain found as though he had torn out a piece of himself in order to obey her last wish. But as he felt the softness of her hair on his cheek and heard her low, musical laughter, he found the weight on his shoulders slowly disappearing. He found his own mouth taking the form of a smile. As though sensing him smiling, Lilith pulled away and gave a sigh of relief. Cain saw her gaze heavenward as a bright light engulfed her body. Lilith seemed to seep away like a ray of sunlight, and Cain also realised that the light had also enfolded the craft that held her body. Suddenly, there was an almighty flash and Cain found himself being levitated and he had to close his eyes against the painful brightness.

When Cain had the courage to open his eyes, he was shocked to find himself standing in the same place deep in the grottos of the Vatican, the place just before he and Abel had gone through the door that led to Lilith's crypt. Except now, when Cain looked at the place where the door should have been, he saw only a blank, earthen wall. Then, he heard a musical laugh and a voice inside his head.

_"Feel guilty never again, Cain. Neither you nor anyone else shall find my body, for it is high time for me to leave this place. Always remember that I love the three of you most dearly. Fare thee well."_

* * *

Abel found himself taking the same path that led to Caterina's office, as he had so many times before. The corridors were isolated, and Abel was most thankful for that. The last thing he needed was an AX agent who would peer closely at his face and point a finger at him while crying out Abel's identity at the top of his voice. Unfortunately, there happened to be another person on the same path as well. Abel silenced himself and tried to levitate into the air without being noticed, but the person was walking at a speed reasonably fast for a Terran, and Abel found himself being knocked on the shoulder. The anonymous person gave a gasp, and paused for a moment in his fast steps to apologise to Abel. In the candlelight, Abel studied his features. A face framed with brown hair and with the touch of grey for his eyes looked back at him. Abel held in his gasp as he recognised the greyish shade. Caterina had possessed the same shade, soft at certain times, but could also mirror a steely countenance when under pressure. Could it be-

"Your Holiness?" Abel gasped out, in between the person's regretful apologies. The Pope looked at Abel for a moment before giving a friendly laugh. Abel was both pleased and shocked at how much the young boy had grown since Abel had last seen him. He was now taller, though he did not show signs of reaching up to Abel's height. His posture was straighter, and a confidence shone in his grey eyes.

"May God bless you, my son," said the Pope easily, patting Abel's arm very softly. Abel resisted an urge to give a sigh of relief when no signs of recognition were etched upon the Pope's face. Abel bowed in respect before the Pope muttered once more about a meeting and dashed off, his long robes billowing out as he walked. Abel gave a little smile and continued his walk.

When he finally reached the door of Caterina's office, Abel raised his hand to knock but paused before his knuckles came into contact with the wooden surface. Was Caterina still residing in the room he was about to enter? Brushing away the nagging thoughts that plagued his mind, Abel gave three knocks. A soft voice came within, and bid Abel to enter. Abel smiled as he recognised the softness of the voice that somehow also contained an inner strength. Abel entered opened the door and slowly stepped inside the room. He smiled inwardly as he saw Caterina reading a few handwritten papers, her hand on her forehead, her eyes concentrating fully upon the words written. When she heard nothing from the person who entered her room, Caterina raised her head to view the anonymous person.

Her hand, which had previously been fingering her hairline, now dropped onto the table abruptly. Caterina's grey eyes widened as she looked at the person she had never dared to hope she would meet again. In a swift movement, she had rushed across the room and flung her arms around Abel's neck, holding him close. Abel softly patted her blonde curls and pulled away to assess her. Somehow, she looked drained, as though someone had put out the sunlight in her life. Her eyes no longer shone with the promising confidence she once used to possess. Even the shape of her cheekbones was more prominent in her face. Her figure had thinned, but her posture was still as straight as it had ever been, and her hair was just as golden as the sun.

Caterina took in Abel's freed silver hair, now tumbling down his shoulders as it had been a long time ago. He now wore the same spacesuit she had seen him in when they had first met. Abel's eyes too had lost the sorrowful, haunted look. His smile was earnest and comforting. Caterina was at a loss for words, and she could only extend a hand of welcome that he come and sit at her table. As soon as they both had sat, Caterina pressed a button to alert Sister Kate. Abel spoke first.

"How are you, Caterina?" he asked kindly. She smiled at him, her heart feeling warm as she rested her eyes on him.

"I am well," she said slowly. Her gloved hands were neatly folded in front of her as she gave a tiny laugh. "Oh, Abel, so many things have happened while you were gone."

"The same goes for me," he told her with a responding laugh. The door suddenly opened and a person bringing a tray of tea for them came in, followed by Sister Kate. When Kate's eyes landed on Abel, she gave a gasp, but recovered quickly and had a short chat with him, before politely excusing herself. Once they were alone once more, Abel focused his gaze on Caterina.

"I heard that the Contra Mundi have been destroyed," she began. "Hugue came back previously, and reported all he had seen. But he said that somehow, two of the members left no trace of their death."

"Dietrich von Lohengrin was killed in a blast activated by himself when he was duelling with us while in Aswan," Abel notified her. Caterina took this in with a curt nod and focused on what Abel was about to say next. Abel leaned forward, as though the coming words were only for Caterina's ears only. "Cain Nightroad is still alive. That is main reason I have come to you, Caterina. I have to tell you…" Abel's voice trailed off and he added after a breath of air. "…_so many things_."

No sooner after Abel had told all what occurred between him and Cain, Caterina could not even speak. Abel only heard her drawing in breath by breath as she digested the complicated pieces of information that he had told her of. Then, she straightened herself and her eyes were steel once more, not the soft grey they had been moments ago. It caught Abel off guard when Caterina's serious face broke into a smile.

"Then I suppose everything's resolved," she said with a light tone. She gave another laugh of joy and happiness and touched Abel's hand comfortingly. "I'm so happy for you, Abel. You really deserve all this."

Abel frowned at her. "Caterina, aren't you angry with me?" he asked incredulously. "I let a member of the Contra Mundi live, for my own personal reasons. I'm defying the cause I've fought for so many years, you're supposed to berate me-"

Caterina raised her eyebrow at this and cut him off swiftly. "_Berate_ you?" she asked of him. Abel looked at her, a slight emotion of guilt written upon his features. Caterina laughed once more, and the guilt was vanquished with the sound of her voice. "Come now, Abel, I am not so cruel. Why should I forbid you from forgiving the one you love? Even if he has committed his evil crimes, it was not his own doing. You tell me Cain was insane, and that he couldn't control himself. Therefore, I would not take those deaths and lay the blame on him. He can't help it more than we can help ourselves drawing in air to breathe. Remember Abel, the Lord is most forgiving, and from the way I see it, he's repenting at this very moment isn't he?"

Abel ran a hand through his silver locks, causing them to shine a pale white in the solace of candlelight. Caterina's eyes trailed this movement unconsciously, even whether she resisted or not. Abel was raw perfection, even at the times he was unaware of his own self. "True, he has gone to Lilith's crypt. But Caterina-"

"And I can very well assure you he isn't just serenely staring at her body and praying quietly," Caterina said dryly, closing her eyes briefly. "He will be just like you, crying by her side, unforgiving of the one thing she wants you to forgive; yourselves," added Caterina, much to Abel's surprise.

"Cain is strong!" Abel defended, raising a hand to his chest. "He won't give in to his emotions, I know he won't."

"You were strong too, Abel. But what happened in the crypt for those 900 years?" Caterina spoke softly. A long silence followed her words, and Abel found himself suffocating in the silence. The regal woman opposite him only sighed and gave a little smile. "But then again, who knows what can happen? Perhaps Cain's faith in you is so strong that he'll not succumb easily into the valley of grief. Perhaps he will hold true to his promise. Or perhaps," her voice trailed off as she looked out into the darkness through the window. "A miracle will happen," she added wistfully. Abel could only smile easily at this, grateful at the sudden change of atmosphere in the room. He sat up in his chair, straightening his posture.

"Caterina, I've come to ask of you a favour, which I know you have no obligation to grant, giving that you've helped me so much in more ways than I could ever imagine," Abel stated. Caterina tilted her head, eagerness showing on her face. Abel breathed in before he spoke again. "I've come to ask you to free me of the promise I made to you during the time we first met."

The room fell into silence, for neither Abel nor Caterina moved after those words were said. Caterina stayed in the position of resting her head on both hands held up in front of her, whereas Abel remained seated in the chair. Finally, Caterina's solemn face broke into a smile. "You are very strange, Abel, that I must say. Beautiful, yes, but strange," she pondered, and Abel gave away a shy smile. "I thought I've freed you of the promise ever since you took off to find the Contra Mundi with the Count of Memphis. You were no longer an AX agent, but a knight of the Vatican. You have been freed."

"Caterina, you are serious regarding this matter?" Abel asked uncertainly, hiding away his shameful face. "I know a promise is to be kept forever, but-"

"Abel," Caterina called out softly. "You have done so much for the Church and I already. What right do I possess to demand more from you? All these years, you have fought valiantly, and served me with such honesty and eagerness that I know that there can never be a replacement for you. And I am most thankful for this, Abel. It would be my last wish of you to see you in happiness, just as you are now, I'm sure."

Abel could not resist rushing forth to Caterina and embracing her in gratitude, laughing as he did so. Caterina could only hold him close, shutting her eyes for a moment, accepting the fact that this might be the last time she would lay her eyes upon one of the most flawless creatures on Earth. Abel's face had changed so much, and a youthful exuberance shone from his sculptured features. When they pulled away, Caterina forced herself to blink back the tears that were gathering at the corners of her eyes.

The door suddenly opened, and a blond head peeked inside. Caterina's mouth fell open as a young man with long golden hair came into the room, his eyes straying to Abel, and then to Caterina. A smile broke out on his features. Caterina could only draw in her breath, realising the uncanny similarity he shared with Abel. He bowed politely before Caterina.

"I don't think we've had the pleasure," he said respectfully. "Cain Nightroad. It's an honour to meet you, Your Eminence," he introduced. Caterina could only nod at this, not believing that the said man was standing in front of her. She could only smile at him, blinking her eyes at his golden beauty. Abel then came forward and gave a bright smile at Cain. Caterina did not fail to notice how he tenderly brushed his hand against Cain's arm before taking a stand by his side. Abel then bowed very deeply before Caterina.

"Caterina, thank you," he finally managed to say. Caterina laughed at this and waved her hand disarmingly. She looked at the two Crusniks, marvelling at how they both stood at a tall height with their long hair streaming down their backs.

"Farewell, Abel. Feel free to find your happiness, and always know that as long as you're happy, so am I," she said to the silver-haired man, and then turned to his companion. "Goodbye, Cain. I leave Abel to you."

Cain laughed at this, and was joined by Abel and Caterina. Abel once again bowed before Caterina before taking his leave of her. Caterina felt as though her life had suddenly taken on a change in scenery, and she found herself looking out St. Peter's Square. This was her place, her home. And her prerogative to the Vatican would never waver. Her eyes strayed to the door, and she smiled lightly. She hoped for only happiness to be the ultimate companion in Abel's life.

Outside Caterina's room, Cain and Abel shared a fleeting kiss and Abel affectionately rubbed the tip of his nose against Cain's. Cain then slipped his fingers through Abel's and the both of them walked through the darkened corridor, liking the peacefulness that the darkness granted. Cain leaned his head against Abel's shoulder, rubbing his cheek against the soft material of the spacesuit.

"Where are we off to now, my love?" Cain asked. Abel paused in his steps before giving a small smile. He squeezed Cain's hand playfully and hastened his steps.

"I do believe that we have a younger sister," Abel spoke absent-mindedly, but Cain saw the joke. He gave a laugh and pulled Abel against him once more, trying to rid himself of the chill in the air of the night. Cain inched forward to Abel's lips for a kiss, but Abel turned his face away just in time for Cain to kiss his cheek. For some reason, the silver-haired man felt shy of him kissing Cain while in the Vatican, especially in Caterina's office. Cain gave a sigh, but let go of Abel anyway.

"Then, let's go to her," Cain suggested, but the skin on his forehead crinkled. "I do think we've got a lot to explain to her, and she'll probably welcome me with more than a long bout of screaming and endless attacks."

Abel sighed at this. "_A lot's_ an understatement. She doesn't even know that I'm still _alive_."

_**Palace of the Empress, Byzantium, The New Human Empire**_

The last of the envoys had already been granted leave by the Empress in her throne room. Mirka, who stood one side of the throne, stole a glance at the heavily veiled figure. She repressed a sigh and instead smiled at one of the envoys that looked over his shoulder to catch a last glimpse of the breathtaking Duchess of Moldova. Such a distraction was needed from time to time, Mirka added with another sigh. Although she had been considerably sighing more than she wanted to, Mirka could not have sighed more than the Empress. The throne suddenly levitated into the air and headed back to the Royal Chambers. Mirka followed from behind, her thoughts dwelling on the person who rested upon the throne.

Ever since the news of Abel's death had broke out from the Vatican and reached the Empire, not only the Empress had shown an obvious change, but also a few of the courtiers. The Duchess of Kiev seemed to harbour a grief that none could palliate, and excused herself constantly from the court to head off to Venice. Not that the Duchess had anything to do in Venice, but Mirka had been informed off her aimless wandering through the streets of Venice. When Mirka browsed the records concerning the Duchess' duties, she finally understood why the Duchess chose Venice as a place to linger. The Duchess had once worked with Abel on an assignment, and Venice had been the venue of their first meeting. Even Mirka herself was worried. Ion had not contacted her not since the last two years, and only sent a short transmission saying that he was in Albion to settle confidential manners three days ago. The details of his disappearance for the past two years were not disclosed.

But the worse change was seen in the Empress. True enough, she still carried out her duties with cool intellect and wondrous far-sightedness, but Mirka had not heard her laugh since the day she was informed of Abel's death by the Duchess Astharoshe. The news had been notified via a short transmission when Mirka had been discussing a few matters of the Empire while in her private chambers. The change in the Empress' face had been so obvious. Her face had paled until it almost matched the white shift she wore, and her green eyes widened with disbelief. She had been utterly stunned until it took her a few moments till she could actually form words with her voice. At first, the Empress had been hopeful. She had kept in touch with the Vatican, constantly stressing to Mirka that Abel could not be taken down so easily. Then, Esther had sent her a message that told her of Abel's death by Cain's hand. The Empress had been even more shaken. She had secluded herself for a few days, and Mirka had acted in her stead. Much to her relief, there were no pressing issues that concerned the wellbeing of the Empire. Finally, the Empress had come out from her shell of despair, though it had been a very different person who emerged. The young girl who had come out was not the same Empress that Mirka had served for so long. She knew not this stranger, the young girl with dull green eyes whose straight face revealed not a single tinge of emotion. The way she handled the Empire's crisis was still the same as before, but during her time alone, Mirka had caught her with tears rolling down her cheeks, especially when she gazed upon the moon at night.

"Mirka," a hollow voice came. Mirka was shaken from her line of thoughts and looked to the young Empress who had taken off her veil. The Empress stared out the window, leaning her head against the cool glass. "I'd like some privacy now, please," she spoke softly. Mirka gave a respectful curtsy before slowly gliding across the room to the exit.

* * *

Seth gave away to her tears the moment Mirka closed the door. She had felt her eyes stinging while in the throne room when the young envoy had given a smile to Mirka, hoping to win the lovely Duchess of Moldova's attentions. Abel had given almost the same smile to Seth when they had been young. Each time they both had quarrelled and Seth would refuse to utter a single word to him, he would laugh and give her such a dazzling smile that she could not help smiling back. And each time Seth looked at the moon, she thought of his silver hair. The beauty of the moon, which once entranced her, now warranted a grief so great that Seth sometimes thought of covering the windows in her room with heavy curtains to block out the view of the moon. A great sob came from Seth's throat and racked her body violently. Seth struggled to reach for a piece of cloth and muffled her cries and sobs when she stuffed the flimsy material into her open mouth. She bit on it hard and wished for the pain to slowly diminish and then disappear all together.

"_Why_?" she whispered shakily, feeling the urge to draw in breath becoming too much for her to withstand. She breathed in sharply, and a wheezing sound echoed through the room. Seth balled her hands into fists until she felt her nails cut the skin of her palm until blood oozed out from her cuts. _Just bleed it out, just bleed it _all _out, fade into the nothingness from which you were created..._

"Seth, no!" a voice all too familiar echoed through the grand chambers. Seth looked up from her bloody palm and sucked in a breath as a silver-haired man stepped out from the shadows. Seth felt her muscles refusing to move, and the air she had inhaled could not even reach her lungs. She pointed her finger at him shakily.

"N- no…" she wheezed out. "It c- can't be you… they said you were dead."

Abel stepped closer to Seth, his eyes saddening as he saw the cuts she had made on her palms. Judging by the way she had given in to the pain, Abel guessed that it was not the first time she had inflicted pain upon herself. It tore his heart into two seeing how Seth had almost succumbed to the ways of being a masochist. Without him realising it, the moonlight bathed him in silver, creating an illusion of him being a ghostly apparition that materialised out of thin air. Seth had already gotten up to her wobbly feet and she stepped closer to him. The ghost of a smile was seen on her face.

"Abel-niisan," she drawled out fondly. "Have you come to visit me?" she asked. Abel wanted to weep seeing her so adamant in thinking that he was a spirit. He came close to her and touched her arm, wanting her to realise that he was flesh and blood.

"Seth, it's me."

The little girl gave a shriek and sprang away from Abel as though he had pointed a weapon at her. She backed away from Abel step by step and shook her head at him fiercely. "How can this be?" she demanded, her posture shaking with the tremors that ran through her lithe form. "The Duchess of Odessa said that she saw your coffin back in that church in Londinium. You _can't_ be Abel. My beloved brother is _dead_, killed by another brother of mine." Her face was as hard as stone, unwavering and steely.

"Seth, I was revived. This is me, its Abel, Seth," Abel spoke sadly as he put his hand on his chest, trying to convince her. Seth's eyes flashed as a memory washed over her, but she shook even more violently than before and covered her ears with her hands.

"_Don't lie to me_!" she screamed at him as she shook her head again and again. "There were no more nanomachines left! You yourself saw to it, the last capsule intended to grant us the ability to utilise our true forms was gone, we used it to save Cain. And now, I've just found out that the greatest sacrifice I've done has resulted in the creation of a madman who killed you!"

Abel's heart broke, hearing her words. "Seth, please. Remember everything what you know about the nanomachines. They promote regeneration in a Crusnik's body. Lilith could not regenerate, as her nanomachines were infused by Cain into his body. But then, my nanomachines were still within my body, thus allowing me to regenerate. As the head is the most vital part of our body, it took me quite some time before my head was fully regenerated," he tried to reason out to her. "I was brought back to life, and I battled Cain. The both of us couldn't defeat each other, and I've been trailing him. I finally managed to confront him back in Aswan, together with Ion Fortuna."

Seth breathed in very slowly, one breath by one breath drawn into her lungs. She took tiny steps towards Abel. However, at that moment, Cain revealed himself from the shroud of the shadows in the dark room. Seeing Cain, Seth immediately rushed back to the shelter of an unoccupied corner and activated her nanomachines. Her skin turned to a greenish-blue hue, and her eyes shone red. A pair of large tuning forks materialised in her hands and she aimed them clear for Cain, who looked at her with shock in his blue eyes.

"You!" she growled at Cain, her voice guttural from the nanomachine activation. "How _dare_ you step into my palace? How dare you show that face of yours in my room? You, who took away Abel-niisan, my brother, _my beloved brother_, and put this stranger inside his body who uses his voice to say untruthful words, how can you even live bearing that terrible knowledge?" Seth screamed, and Abel felt a slight vibration in the room. His alarmed gaze fell on Cain, whom he knew was susceptible to any attack launched by Seth, now that his level of nanomachine was lower than hers. Cain was about to open his mouth, but Abel was well aware that Seth would not even let him get a word in edgewise. As he expected, Seth spoke once more.

"Is it not enough that you've used my love for you as my own brother and Abel-niisan's love to take our last chance of attaining our true forms? Is it not enough that you've taken the two people I love most in this world from me? Is not enough that you've left me standing as the only sane, living Crusnik upon the face of this Earth?" Blood tears streamed down from Seth's cheeks as she waved her tuning forks and manipulated the sound waves in order to disintegrate Cain's body. Cain had already put up a barrier made of his own powers, but Abel knew that the power channelled by Seth could easily outdo Cain's simple barrier. Without thinking, Abel leapt forward to shield Cain with his own body. He felt his nanomachines activate by themselves in order to defend him against Seth's incoming attack.

* * *

"No."

Seth's voice came out in a whisper as she dropped her tuning forks to the ground. Her face was aghast as her eyes grazed over Abel's form. A humanoid creature with dark skin and black wings peered at her with red eyes. Seth knew that form, for she could faintly remember when Lilith had shown their assumed forms when they would take on 100% activation of their Crusnik nanomachines. Abel's form had vaguely resembled the creature that stood a few feet away from her.

"It can't be," Seth spoke, more to herself than to him and Cain. "It can't be possible for you to assume that form, unless…" her voice trailed off as she slowly deactivated her nanomachines and stared at Abel and Cain. "You were telling me the truth."

Abel folded his wings against his back and let out a sigh as his nanomachines deactivated and his silver hair tumbled down his shoulders. "Seth, there are many things you have to know."

One by one, Abel relayed the events that had taken place since his revival. Seth's pale face only looked blankly at him, though when she looked at Cain, obvious indecision was seen on her face, as though she knew not of which face to put on in front of Cain. The three of them had sat down, and Abel had insisted for Cain to sit on the seat just next to his. Seth sat on the seat opposite the two of them, her body still faintly shaking from the shock of the news she had received. She did not even move an inch when Abel's voice rang through the empty room, though many emotions flashed across her face. Abel and Cain both watched her carefully, fearing that she might give away to a tremulous outburst during certain events that Abel told. However, she only stood still in her chair, her white shift draped carelessly over her small form, her eyes big and unseeing in her emotionless face. Finally, after Abel had finished his story, Seth drew in a short breath, with the whistling sound as she sucked in the air through her teeth. Her deep green eyes flickered over to Cain's blue ones.

"Therefore, you now only have 20% of nanomachines in your body?" she asked him, her voice neither hostile nor friendly. Cain nodded in reply, while Abel's eyes rested on him for a while, then hovered back to Seth's cold face.

"According to what Abel-niisan has said, Lilith-kaasan whispered those words leading to your diffusion just moments before her death. How could she have known that you would feel a sudden change of heart after these many years?" So saying, Seth turned back to Abel, her face echoing disbelief.

"You expect me to believe this? I do not doubt your revival for you have proven it to be true already. But Cain's diffusion is not plausible, which ever way I look at it."

Abel sat up in his seat. "Seth, you studied these nanomachines. You know their true nature. I bore witness to his diffusion. I was there when the nanomachines poured out of his body. You yourself know that I'd never lie to you. After all, these nanomachines were put into our body via infusion, therefore the process of elimination would be the exact opposite, which is diffusion."

"Seth," Cain spoke. The two heads swirled around to look at him. Cain shut his eyes in sadness for a moment, knowing that it would take a great deal of convincing before Seth could finally believe them fearlessly. But Cain knew that it was his only chance. If he managed to perform it with the outcome he had been hoping for, Seth would believe him. "This is to prove that I only have 20% of Crusnik in my body left." Abel looked at Cain worriedly, but before Abel could intervene, Cain had already spoken very quickly, "Nanomachines: Crusnik 01- 40% limit activation. Approved."

Cain suddenly felt a searing pain within his body and he doubled over. Abel was by his side immediately, and Seth had also gotten to her feet. "Cain!" Abel cried out. Cain knew that the pain would be felt for a short period, but it was the most excruciating pain he had ever felt, besides the diffusion of the nanomachines. Since Cain's body had not the amount of nanomachines required to activate, a soaring rush of activity occurred within him as his body struggled to cope with his verbal command. Seth, who could bear it no longer to see Cain writhe in pain, had rushed to his side and threw her arms around his neck.

"Cain, I'm so sorry! I just didn't know what to believe in anymore, please come back!" Seth cried out to him, her tears wetting his neck. At hearing the same childlike voice he used to here while they had lived on the Ark, Cain felt the pain in his body slowly fading away, and his vision cleared out little by little. When Cain finally could open his eyes without seeing red, he found himself cradled in Abel's lap and Seth was atop him, crying out loudly. Cain patted her back gently and stroked her short hair, soothing her. When Seth lifted her head off his chest, her eyes were full of tears. Cain slowly struggled to get up, together with the help of Abel and Seth. Just as soon as he had gotten to his feet, Seth launched at him and Abel and drew the three of them close. Abel and Cain were both shocked as the young girl wept into their spacesuits, her pain mirrored in her deep sobs.

"Don't ever leave me alone again!" she cried out. Abel could only smile and put his hand on her head and ran his fingers through her dark hair. Cain's eyes met his, and Abel could see the thankfulness in them, and the happiness that Cain felt, knowing that one of the closest people in his life had finally believed him. As Cain and Abel stroked Seth's back and hair, their hands touched each other. Abel resisted an urge to blush as Cain leaned on his body. "All those years that I've ruled as the Empress," Seth breathed out. "They were nothing compared to those two years when they told me you were dead!" Her eyes sought out Abel's and he felt his own eyes tearing up. "Why didn't you tell me?" she sobbed. "I thought I was alone!"

Seth's arm around Cain's waist grew tighter as she drew him close. "Ever since that day when Cain died, I felt as though someone had robbed a piece of my soul. And when he came back, he was not the same person I had loved as my brother. A shadow had begun to spread its shroud over my lighted world. Calamities were yet to come. Lilith-kaasan's death was enough to shatter me. I could have shattered, but I did not, because I knew that Abel-niisan was still with me. During that time, I lived only for him. But after they told me that Abel-niisan was dead, I thought the sky had broken into two. But I kept living, ruling, listening. It was all for the people. But in reality, I just wanted one true wish of mine to be granted," she paused, drawing in a breath. "I wished I was dead!"

Cain and Abel exchanged worried glances. Abel felt like tearing himself apart, knowing that he had caused the person he loved to undergo an unbearable period of suffering. Cain's heart broke to hear the young girl's words. His insanity had done more than destroying him, but it had inflicted so much pain upon the ones he cherished. Lilith, Seth and Abel. Silent tears rolled down the cheeks of the two men. Abel and Cain found themselves sinking to the floor, drawing desperately close to Seth and each other. It felt as though they were on the Ark once more, two young boys and a girl. Innocent and unknowing of the terrible promises their futures beheld.

They stood in the position for a long time, but they did not feel it. The room was silent, but it seemed as though their long-lasting grief conveyed their unspoken messages to each other. Cain rested his head on Abel's chest whereas the latter held his sister and his beloved close to him. Seth was entangled in the arms around her body, but she slowly drew in the fragrance of Cain's spacesuit. Abel's fingers tangled through Cain's golden strands and Seth's ebony bangs. He stole a look at Cain whose eyes flickered up to meet his gaze. Cain gave Abel a satisfied smile and he kissed the smooth skin of Abel's neck. Abel in turn rested his cheek on the top of Cain's head. Unknown to the both of them, Seth had witnessed the whole scene, and a smile formed on her face. Her arms that went around both of their waists tightened. This was where she belonged. In the embraces of the two men she had come to love. Abel and Cain, her true brothers.

* * *

"It's not fair!" Seth exclaimed, her high voice ringing through the peaceful gardens of the palace. She thrashed in Cain's lap and playfully hit his thigh with her small fist. Abel only gave a slight chuckle as Cain sighed but his smile on his face remained.

The three of them basked in the warmth of the morning under a large tree heavy with leaves. Through the gaps in the leaves, thin rays of sunlight seeped through and kissed the skin of the two young men and small girl. Although Abel felt exhausted from the long nights of flight with Cain in his arms, his vigour was renewed by the happiness that shone on Seth's face. He looked at the adorable green-eyed girl with love. She pulled on Cain's bangs, which made Cain exclaim not in pain but in a tone that had a slight ring of irritancy to it. Seth pouted at this and instead stepped out of Cain's lap and stretched out her body in between the silver-haired man and the blond. Last night, the three of them had barely been able to sleep, even when Seth invited both of them to share her large bed with her. When Abel commented on the way the sheets were so nicely folded, Seth grinned impishly at him and claimed that she had not once slept in that bed, but chose to sleep on the couch by the window, in order for her to see the moon wane each night. Seth had lain in between Abel and Cain, liking the closeness. Even though they had been on the bed, Seth kept them both talking, at times asking Abel a question, then shifting him to Cain and posing another inquiry. Abel felt as though he had shared the revelation of his whole life with Cain and Seth. However, Seth was wise enough not to ask too much from Cain, knowing the terrible pain he had been through during the tormenting period of his insanity.

Abel, Cain and Seth had been together almost everywhere during the few days they had spent in each other's company. Seth would be walking in between Abel and Cain, their hands linked together. They dined together, shared jokes and laughed at the puzzling antics each of them displayed. Fortunately, Mirka had taken over the reins and stood in Seth's place as the Empress even without Seth telling her to do so. Mirka had barely been able to recognise Abel in his new appearance. She had shamelessly gawked at him and Cain, and claimed that the both of them were the most handsome men she had ever seen. Seth then hinted that Abel and Cain were sharing a relationship, and Mirka had giggled behind her sleeve. Then, the beautiful Methuselah had grinned at Abel before leaving to perform her duties. Seth shook her head in exasperation, saying that Abel was simply too nice to everyone until everyone fell in love with him. Cain had shared a glance with Abel, and Abel lowered his eyelids slowly then lifted them, letting his eyelashes gently brush against each other and for the blue of his irises to peer out. Seth had not caught this movement, much to Abel and Cain's relief. For Cain, he knew that the previous movement done by Abel may have been subtle, but it screamed of fierce seduction. Cain only smiled, knowing what Abel meant by doing so.

Now, the three Crusniks listened to the gentle chirping of the birds and delighted in the rustling of the leaves by the wind that blew through the gardens. The sound of a bubbling fountain was running in the background, creating an environment of solitary beauty. Abel leaned his head against Cain's, exhaling slowly as a breeze drifted through them, playing with Cain's blond strands and Abel's silver locks. Seth draped an arm over Cain's waist.

"So, what can you do with 20% of nanomachines?" Seth inquired. Cain's brow creased briefly as he gave the question a thought before answering.

"I'm able to generate barriers to protect myself and move at a supersonic speed, my body can constantly regenerate, but I'm afraid can't fly anymore," spoke Cain, looking at the sky sadly, accepting the fact that he could never soar up to wondrous heights anymore. A sympathetic sound came from Seth, but Cain quickly brightened up. "It's all right, Seth. I'd rather be able to activate just 20% of my nanomachines and be here with Abel and you, rather than be a bloodthirsty sadist."

Seth shivered for a moment, remembering Cain's behaviour when he was insane, but thought of a joke to lighten the atmosphere. "There goes those nanomachines intended for Abel-niisan and I!" she cried with mock irritation, causing laughter to come from Abel and Cain's mouths. "But then again, it's amazing. Think of it, they infused us with nanomachines, and we had no idea that all the time we could actually rid ourselves of it. And Lilith-kaasan somehow knew of it."

"Lilith knows many things," mused Abel. "But you had better keep your nanomachines within you, Seth. Cain had a valid reason to rid himself of them, but you need it. For the safety and well-being of the Empire, you must keep it with you."

Seth glared at Abel. "I knew that a long time ago, Abel-niisan! I'm not so silly as you think." Seth sulked for a moment before giving him a naughty smile. "That means you'll be the one to protect Cain, since you have the highest level of nanomachines."

Abel sat upright immediately. "Who said I wouldn't? How could you-"

Seth waved his words away. "Yes, yes, no need to tell me about Cain being the love of your life and the both of you sharing some life bond and how you'd feel pain when he does and all of that romance. I'm still young and innocent, you know," she said, giving a wink at Abel, who in turn tickled her most sensitive parts. Cain joined in, and soon, the three of them were tangled in a heap of limbs and legs. They laughed at their childishness, but then Seth's face suddenly turned puzzled.

"How could Lilith-kaasan's soul appear even when she's dead? That would be what humans call a 'ghost'," she mused. Cain blew away the strands that fell over his forehead and obstructed his wide field of vision. He and Abel exchanged glances before Cain gave Abel the signal to elaborate more.

"Her soul was not at rest. And perhaps," he sighed for a while, looking at the sky, wondering at the immense power of Him above. "We Crusniks are different life forms compared to Terran and Methuselah. Perhaps our souls are able to transcend even when we're dead. Perhaps we can appear to the ones we love and give them final words to assist them through their trying times in life before we ascend to above."

"But how could she have known all what would happen to us? And how did she even know about her own death before dying, since she gave Cain the instructions on how to diffuse his nanomachines?" Seth asked once more just after Abel had stopped speaking. Cain laughed at this.

"The same way she appeared before me from the dead," he said, thinking of Lilith's knowing smile as she stood over his kneeling form on the floor in her crypt.

"The same goes for me too," muttered Seth.

Abel nodded at Cain's simplicity at phrasing his statement, but drew in a breath to speak when Seth tugged for his arm, signalling her incomprehension. "It's unexplainable, but it has happened. Maybe it's just as Abel said, we are different from the others, and our abilities span over a wide variety compared to them. But then again, Lilith was always the special Crusnik, the prototype, the original, and the unaltered. The scientists might have altered our abilities, observing her progress, but she possesses gifts which none of us possess. However, let's just take it that she wanted to settle matters before her indefinite departure."

"I love her," Cain added wistfully, closing his eyes briefly, thinking of Lilith's smiling face and outstretched hand. "And I love her even more for loving me."

"Did any of us not feel that way too?" asked Abel. Seth gave a gentle sigh at hearing the wise words spoken by Cain and Abel, and never had she felt her heart so light.

A silence followed Abel's question as each of them thought of the times they spent with Lilith. Abel looked up to the sky and smiled, knowing that Lilith could see the three of them as they were during that moment. _Thank you, Lilith,_ he whispered silently.

* * *

"It's only been a week! What do you mean by saying it's been a _long_ time with me?" Seth demanded, raising her fist at Abel who threw his head back in exhaustion from trying to coax the young girl. Seth's eyes flashed at Cain, who was straightening his spacesuit while admiring the fountain. "And you're going to be spending more than a week with_ him_!" she pointed her finger rudely at Cain and then shook it fiercely at Abel. "I suppose he's not boring, then."

Abel's face was torn between showing a smile and frowning at Seth. Even at her height, Seth could still appear intimidating with her hands on her hips and her face fixed in a daunting expression. Cain only let out a sigh at seeing the scene that took place before him. Abel and Seth were squabbling, just as they always had when they had been on the Ark. Cain gave a slight chuckle as Seth punched Abel's leg with her fist and Abel bared his teeth at her.

The matter was simply trivial. After a week's stay at the palace and realising that their presence was the major reason that kept Seth from attending her duties, Abel and Cain had politely informed her of their wish to journey the world together, much to Mirka's unsaid delight. The Head of the Imperial Privy Council was more than relieved to know that the Empress would be assuming her rightful duties of the Empire. As much as Mirka loved to gaze at the two beautiful men whom the Empress claimed to be her brothers, Mirka missed the times when she ruled over the Empire with her perceptiveness and tender care for her people's safety and happiness. Now that Seth had been reunited with Cain and Abel, she was more than prepared to take on her role as the Empress, but being a child in physical state influenced the maturity of Seth's mind, and that was all it required for her to launch herself into a verbal attack with Abel. Cain laughed and laughed with Mirka when Seth would jump up and pull violently on Abel's hair, trying to make him give in. Abel would then mess up Seth's short hair and reprimand her childishness.

"Thank you, Cain-sama. And extend my gratitude to Abel-sama as well," Mirka said softly, her scarlet eyes shining at him. Cain only extended his head graciously towards the Duchess of Moldova. Unable to keep up with the raised voices and cries of pain, Cain strode forward towards Abel and Seth and separated them casually, assuming his role as the eldest.

"That's enough, my dear," he told Seth soothingly, and received a bright smile from Seth.

"It wasn't my fault, Cain. Abel-niisan was so adamant on going on a honeymoon with you. He insists that it's extremely important for some _privacy_," Seth said sarcastically, her eyes flitting to Abel's who gave her a warning look, which she breezily dismissed.

"We'll stay here with you after we've travelled enough," Abel informed her, and Seth's sulky expression immediately melted into a bright smile. Then, as though she had caught a glitch in his words, she raised her eyebrow at him.

"_Travelled enough_. And that would take like what, a century? How nice of you to put it that way," she said dryly. "It's not like you could stay anywhere other than Byzantium, from what I know, the both of you have been making public appearances everywhere, Abel-niisan especially. And now you'd like to travel again. Who knows when enough would be enough," she spoke to herself and blew on her nails. But she could not resist brightening up and threw herself into Abel's arms for a close hug and he gave her three kisses, two on her cheeks and one on her forehead. After Abel lowered a flaming-cheeked Seth to the ground, Cain stepped forward and picked her up to peck her on the cheek with his lips.

"I'll see you soon, little sister," he told her with a smile. Abel then swung Seth around in a circle and they both burst out laughing. Seth then urged him forward and called out with a teasing voice for both of them to hold hands. Abel and Cain exchanged glances and laughed together. Heeding Seth's urging, they held hands together and walked out of the palace, occasionally looking back to give Seth a wave.

* * *

Abel gently waved his arms around him in a circle, liking the rippling sound of the water as he did so. The waves stroked his hair and his bare skin like a patient lover. He could feel the soft warmth of the sun on his shut eyelids, just as he could taste the salt of the sea that lingered on his lips. The sea sang a song foreign to him, yet one that carried the note of an everlasting serenade within the blue waters that reflected as green from certain angles. Yes, this was the sea where the important memories of his life were imprinted between the lapping of the waves upon the shore.

Abel lifted his eyelids slowly, not feeling pain when the rays of the sun burst into his blue irises. He saw the sky, as blue as his own eyes, seeming so faraway yet close that Abel could always mistake it for a painting that shifted shapes during time intervals. Abel turned his head towards his left and saw Cain floating on the water a few feet away from him. Abel gave away a smile, remembering how Cain did not know the right technique of swimming. Engrossed in keeping his body afloat above the seawater, the blond had allowed the waves to wash him away far from the shore. Taking in a breath, Abel dove beneath the lukewarm waters and swam quick strokes to reach Cain before he found himself too far away for his own liking. When Cain was just a foot away from his reach, Abel touched his arm gently and resisted a chuckle when Cain gave a startled exclamation and looked at his intruder. Abel smiled apologetically, nudging his head towards the direction of the shore that seemed a mile away from them. Cain's eyes widened when he saw how lax he had been and quickly swam back, finding it slightly difficult to keep up with Abel's strong strokes.

Once they were back near the shore again, Cain laughed in amusement. Abel's hand reached up to slowly stroke Cain's long blond hair that floated above the water like straight rays of sun distorted by a refractive medium. Cain dipped his head underwater for a moment before emerging out of the water surface.

"Where did you learn to swim so well?" he asked Abel, who gave a careless shrug. The silver-haired man gathered his loose hair and neatened it to dangle down his right shoulder. Cain looked at Abel's skin, shiny with water droplets on the pale surface.

"Some time ago, just in case people drowned, I won't be standing around uselessly," Abel said happily. Cain smiled, sharing his beloved's happiness. Abel truly cared for the happiness of everyone, thought Cain. Never once did he turn away a person, regardless of the person's physical or mental state. He helped everyone.

Cain turned away from Abel for a moment, sighing dejectedly, wondering if he could have ever been as good a person as Abel was had he not gone insane. But that chance would have never presented itself, for Cain would have died, and Abel was left with Seth and Lilith.

"Abel," Cain called gently, receiving a tender smile from Abel, which made his heart skip a beat. Beautiful Abel, his beauty rendered never noticing what effects. Cain felt himself toying with his nails, unsure of the proper way to phrase his question. "Would you be happier than you are now had I died during the battle? If you had never revived me, and you lived with Seth and Lilith, would you smile more often?"

Abel's mouth dropped open at Cain's words, and then a frown was written on his forehead. "You're asking me to choose between you and Lilith," Abel stated, knowing the way the conversation was headed. He thought for a moment, while Cain counted the seconds that passed. Finally, Abel spoke. "I love you, Cain. And I love Lilith as well. I won't be happier, if that's what you're asking." Cain's heart somehow felt lighter after Abel said this, but a guilty expression welled up as he thought about Lilith. Fortunately, Abel had noticed, and he voiced his opinion. "Perhaps Lilith knew what sorrow and torment we would go through, the three of us, when you were revived. But even though I have suffered, I don't regret it, Cain. I don't regret going to my death and being brought back to life once more and face combat with you, because it's all for you. You're the person I love; there are no choices that I wish to take back when it comes to you. Because if I did, I'd never be here with you now."

Abel's arms went around Cain's neck, feeling the brushing of their bare skin upon each other and hearing the tinkling sound of the waves upon their two bodies. He looked at Cain's blue eyes and saw his own mirrored within them. It was as if he stared into two mirrors. A tear trickled out from Abel's eye. "Cain, I love you."

Hearing this, Cain felt his own eyes water, due to two reasons. One was because of the saltwater which entered his eye, but the reason that made his tears flow down freely was Abel's beautiful confession. Cain held Abel tighter in his arms, the beautiful man that had melted his ice, and the first one that had made him fall, both in defeat and in love. Cain stopped himself just in time before letting out a sob from his throat. He suddenly felt so small, hearing the intense earnestness in Abel's voice.

"I used to be the one who said that every time to you," he spoke in a muffled voice, but Abel heard each word as clearly as though Cain had whispered it into his own ear. Abel gave Cain a gentle kiss, which Cain prolonged by holding onto Abel, then slowly letting him go. "Abel, during my insanity, I know I'd say that phrase at least once a minute. Perhaps, you might not have taken them into serious consideration, but know this Abel. When I was insane, I was still sane, albeit it in a very strange way. I'd have feelings, and my insane self would interpret it and evoke warped actions that I never meant to do. It's true that I was jealous each time Lilith would embrace you- no, each time _anyone_ came too close to you for my liking, but Abel, you know I'd never kill. That's the last thing I would do, you know how I hate killing, I can't even stand being in front of the monitor and see people dying. And Lilith, I loved her, seriously I did. She's the one who brought us together, how could I ever hate her, Abel, how could I?"

Abel drew Cain close in an embrace, feeling the droplets of warmth that landed on his shoulder. Cain then gave a sigh, but still held Abel to him, refusing to let go, as though the close contact he had with Abel could somehow prevail his sanity.

"I always loved you, Cain," Abel spoke into Cain's beautiful golden hair. He breathed in Cain's scent and exhaled slowly, thankful that he could hold the one person he loved in his arms at that moment. Even when you were insane, I still loved you. That's why my hand could never cause an injury to you. You don't know how I'd scream inside when I'm forced to strike you down."

Cain felt as though someone had chipped his cold exterior and exposed his vulnerable self when Abel ran his fingers slowly through Cain's golden strands. He did it with such love and gentleness that Cain's heart broke at each time Abel's hand touched his bare skin. The both of them then swam in the waters, closing their eyes as their faces faced upwards at the sky, letting the sun warm their cheeks. Their hands were linked through the tangling of their fingers, and at sudden times, Cain would pull Abel into a kiss, and then let go of Abel to swim in the mild warmth of their waters. When Abel saw Cain looking at the sky with a longing so intense it shone in his eyes, a smile appeared on Abel's face as a beautiful image came into his mind. Closing his eyes for a moment, Abel silently activated his nanomachines in a way that only his 100% Crusnik could control. The waves suddenly swerved aside as a movement deep within the sea took place, with Abel as its epicentre. Dark wings emerged from his back, streaks of white showing within the raven feathers. Cain looked on in pride and wonder at the picture before him. A pale young man with silver hair and dark wings stood basking in the blue-green waves and bright sunlight, very closely resembling a fallen angel. As Cain looked on at Abel's glittering black wings, he marvelled at how the water droplets only rested on his feathers, and did not cause them to be wet in the least.

"I wished we could fly together, Abel," sighed Cain, looking at Abel's beauty, tragic and powerful with its dark allure. "That's my only regret following the diffusion of my nanomachines," Cain mouthed very softly with an undertone of sorrow, his eyes grazing over the immense blue of the sky. But Abel had heard him and he came forth to Cain. Turning Cain around in order that Cain's back was facing towards him, Abel embraced him from behind while whispering in Cain's ear.

"Fly we shall, with my wings."

Saying this, Abel took off for the sky and delighted in the way Cain exclaimed over the sudden change in scenery with utter happiness. His blond hair stroked Abel's cheek as the sea breeze blew upon the both of them. Cain looked back at Abel's face, and sky blue eyes met similar ones. Then, he realised something. Abel was his moon. Maddeningly beautiful with the tender way the moon emitted its mesmerising light, the moon also resembled quiet strength. Despite waning away each time the Earth rotated on its orbit, the moon would emerge during the next phase, just as bright and beautiful as ever as though it had never been gone.

"Like moonlight."

Abel stilled after hearing those words from Cain. Then, he thought about the blond. Cain always displayed his love for Abel through burning passion, but the truth behind it all was too clear, Cain loved him utterly. The sun was bright and at times, harsh and consuming and never disappeared, yet through its strength of its immense brightness was the only way could the sun show tenderness for the person it loved. The sun could not shine less than it usually did, or instant death would claim the world. The sun displayed its love through the strong rays of light it emitted. Abel let the truth of the revelation enfold him and he smiled against Cain's hair.

"My sunlight."

Cain laughed at this and held onto Abel as tight as he could. In a swift turn of movement, Cain turned around in Abel's embrace and put his arms around Abel's neck. The wind now blew against the both of them as Abel soared over the sea and right into the bright sky. Their hair was now a blur of silver strands and blond locks. Cain's face was so close to Abel, and Abel then prepared himself to receive Cain's kiss. But the force from Cain's passionate contact never came, instead Abel found Cain looking into his eyes as though the latter was reading his very soul. Abel then leaned his forehead close to Cain's until their noses touched.

"Hoshi no you ni," Cain whispered.

Like the sun. Blond.

Abel smiled at this sentence and inched closer to Cain, grateful that Cain had not crushed his lips upon Abel's own. Instead, Abel took the opportunity to linger his eyes upon every feature on Cain's face, as though it was his last gaze on Earth. Each feature was the very embodiment of perfection, and Abel saw his own face mirrored in Cain's blue eyes. They were so alike; their identical genetic structure had ensured their uncanny similarity. Yet, they were two different people with their own strengths and weaknesses. And they were meant for each other, two beings in a world that did not match their stunning perfection. They were not human neither were they Methuselah. They were matter and antimatter, sunlight and ashes; two opposite powers. Yet, from their union bloomed a love, which possessed a strength that matched its tenderness.

"Tsuki no you ni," Abel breathed onto Cain's face.

Like the moon. Silver.


End file.
